Beneath Hill 60 Review

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 , Posted by Should I See It at 9:13 PM



Film: Beneath Hill 60
Directed By: Jeremy Sims
Starring: Brendan Cowell, Gyton Grantley, Harrison Gilbertson.
Plot: The extraordinary true story of an Australian mining division on the Western Front during World War I.






Beneath Hill 60 is actually a better film than I thought it was going to be. Actually, let me clarify. I really didn’t know what to expect, apart from the fact that it is a war film, and I wanted to support the local film industry.

But despite my expectations, (or lack thereof) Beneath Hill 60 is a remarkably well made film which engages the audience from start to finish.

It is very violent and graphic. There is a real sense of danger and death always feels as though it’s lurking just around the corner. I mean it is a war film. The violence and brutality forms so much of the environment of risk and danger that it can’t really be done without.

But even out of the horror of war, in true Australian fashion, come many moments that are as funny as they are endearing.



I am not as against the use of flashbacks in the film as some of my fellow film critics have been. To be honest, I do understand their criticism. The flashbacks do feel as though they have come out of another film. However, they provide a necessary escape from the brutality of war. The light, colour and air of rural Australia allow for temporary relief from the bloody battle front. And it also allows the audience to be privy to the wonderful dynamic of William and Emma Waddell (Gerald Lepkowski and Jacqueline McKenzie).

Performances all round are engaging. As an audience, you care about the characters. It is genuinely distressing when SPOILERS *some* of them die END SPOILER. Brendan Cowell as Oliver Woodward, the captain of the mining unit, is a solid lead. The ensemble are terrific. Particular standouts were Alan Dukes and Alex Thompson as father and son fighting side by side, and Harrison Gilbertson as young recruit Tiffin.



The only notable exception to otherwise exceptionally strong cast is Bella Heathcote as Oliver Woodward’s love interest, Marjorie Waddell. She is wooden and unnatural, and she made me cringe every time she came on screen. The ‘romance’ troubled me greatly in this film. Oliver seems far to old for Marjorie, who is only sixteen at the beginning of the film. I couldn’t see his interest in her to be anything more than loyalty to her dead brother.

Aside from that misstep, the film does provide same interesting moments: such as Oliver’s interaction with a sixteen year old stretcher bearer, the insights behind the German lines (all done in German too!) and seeing the men return from the war.

Ultimately, this is a really solid entry into Australian filmmaking. Beneath Hill 60 brings to light an aspect of Australian History that has not been widely known. This film is a worthwhile contribution to the cinematic ANZAC legend. While it won’t exactly leave you on an ‘upper’, making the effort to support the local industry is definitely worth it!




Should I See It?

Yes, Absolutely!





Beneath Hill 60 Official Site here.


Beneath Hill 60 Official Blog here.


You can also check out some great behind the scenes footage on the Beneath Hill 60 YouTube channel.