Gallipoli

In Australia we honour those who fought in battle on ANZAC day, April 25. One battle that has had great significance is one that took place in Turkey during World War I.
The geography of Australia is such that we very rarely become involved directly in war. We have had a couple of scraps but nothing on a huge scale. We have always gone to help fight in other countries with our allies. One of the most significant battles Australia was involved in was the Gallipoli campaign in Turkey during World War I. It was significant because of the insurmountable odd the soldiers had to face in the battle. There has been contention of how the Australian soldiers were sent into battle by the English when they should not have. This issue is explored in this brilliant film.
Writer David Williamson and director Peter Weir have crafted a story that explores the friendships of men and what that means when they are sent to war. Archie Hamilton is a wonderful character who has a skill which would come in handy on a battlefield. Archie is not willing to let this skill go to waste at home by winning medals and trophies. Instead he wants to use it to help fight. That is another issue that is explored here and one which is a bit old fashioned. I'm not sure that many young Australians would be willing to go off to fight in a war like people did in those days. While I admire them for doing it, it is not something that I could do. Archie is luck enough to meet someone else with a similar skill and they both become friends. It is this friendship which is the main plot of the film. Archie and Frank are such great characters that you come to care for them so much over the coarse of the film. That is something most important in a film like this because it gives the ending a bigger impact. Peter Weir is certainly one of Australia's great film directors and this film is proof of that. The way he constructs the film and tells the simple story is amazing. Then there is the iconic music score by Brian May. The synthesiser he uses for scenes when Archie is running is brilliant. 
Mel Gibson's Aussie accent is something that we have not heard in such a long time. It was great to hear it again. His recent private life gives people a selective memory which means you forget that he can be a brilliant actor. Even in these early days he showed great talent. While it is a larican character he can easily play he still does an awesome job of it. His partner in this journey and real leading man Mark Lee is equally as brilliant. Mark brings out the every-man quality in Archie so you feel he is from that era. He is someone who wants to do what's right, regardless of what he has to do. It would not be a true Aussie film without Bill Hunter and of coarse the legend is magnificent here. His character has a wonderfully emotional moment in the film which Bill plays so well. The rest of the cast are equally as excellent in their roles. 
The battle at Gallipoli is such a significant event in Australian history that I am surprised we have not seen another film about the event. But perhaps this film is so iconic that no one is brave enough to try and top it.