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'The Proposition': Western morality tale steams up Outback

The Australian Outback of the 1880s has much in common with the American West, and filmmaker John Hillcoat extends those parallels to the mythology of the cinematic western in his gritty, exceedingly violent, yet visually beautiful morality tale, The Proposition.

First Look Pictures 'The Proposition' B+ The verdict: A well-acted Outback morality tale, with parallels to our Old West. Director: John Hillcoat Starring: Guy Pearce, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Ray Winstone, David Wenham Run time: 104 minutes Release date: May 5, 2006 Rating: R for strong grisly violence, and for language. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'The Proposition'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Hillcoat, himself a director of music videos, takes a screenplay from musician Nick Cave, but this is no impatient shootout for the MTV generation. Rather it is an epic tragedy of Shakespearean dimensions, the tale of three outlaw brothers entwined in a blood offer from a reform-minded British captain named Stanley (Ray Winstone), eager to tame this savage land.

Having captured Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) in a furious shootout that begins the film, he presents him with the proposition: Kill your older brother (Danny Huston) by Christmastime, or your also apprehended younger brother will be hanged.

Off on his mission heads Charlie, encountering aborigines and the elements, but we also see how heavily this proposition also weighs on Stanley.

The metaphorical — and meteorological — heat figure into the oppressive feel of this film, a tribute to the roots of this beautiful, but unruly land.