Hats off to a Divine Masterpiece

Josh Russell

One does not have to be Turkish

or an ANZAC descendant to be interested
and touched by this beautifully crafted
story, inspired by real life. Doesn't need
to be necessarily interested in history,
either.
The
Water
Diviner
offers
something for everyone who carries a
heart and soul. It offers a beautiful yet
heart-wrenching journey to all those that
love the art of cinema. Hats off to
Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight
for their great work, the Water Diviner
tells a magical tale and reminds us what
wars do to people, to families, and to our
humanity.
The film opens up on Joshua Connor
(Crowe), an Australian farmer and water
diviner, whose three sons served in the
ANZAC forces at Gallipoli, and are
presumed dead. Connors wife, unable to
cope with the tragedy, takes her life, the
grief
this
causes
Joshua
Connor
portrayed excellently in an award
winning performance by Russell Crowe.
Connor resolves to find the bodies of his
sons, and bring them home to be buried
alongside their mother.
The film then takes a decidedly foreign
turn, delving into the world of the Turks

the whole families of soldiers story so often depicted, but from a perspective that is so
rarely seen in films
regarding World War One. In a hotel run by war-widowed Ayshe, (Olga Kurylenko), Connor
is entrenched in both the stories of his hosts paralleling his own in many ways and the
culture of 1920s Turkey.
On the subject of parallels, a review of this film would not be complete without a
reference to the use of The Arabian Nights, which parallels the main plot in a heartfelt
way, thanks to the fatherly acting of Crowe, as well as his co-stars.
Apart from the story, the characters too felt so "real", and the cast performances were
nothing short of what one would expect from such brilliant names. Russell Crowe, as
always, seemed to "live" the role, not "just act" it, and during certain scenes, the dynamic
duo of Ryan Corr and James Fraser managed to elicit sniffles and shaking shoulders
among audiences. The battle scenes are so technically and artistically perfect that they
take you from your seat and put you on Lone Pine battlefield, feeling scared, helpless,
angry, and questioning what a war is, and if it's even worth it. And then, there is a specific
scene, which reflects in incredible detail the way in which a war can make people lose
their humanity, and surface the ferocity of human nature.
The fascinating art is not limited to battle scenes, though. Andrew Lesnie simply works
miracles, turning the movie into a feast for the eyes from the dust storm in Australia to
the breath-taking views of Istanbul the Water Diviner presents top-quality
cinematography throughout its length.

Taken together, the Water Diviner tells a tale of love mingled with
adventure, delivers a sea of emotions from grief to hope, and works the
magic of cinema, reaching the viewers' heart and mind in a way that
crosses all barriers of language, different cultures, politics, and history.