THE NIGHTINGALE (2019)

Starring Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr

Directed by Jennifer Kent

Written by Jennifer Kent

Distributed by IFC Films. 136 minutes. Opening this Friday at ArcLight Hollywood.

Five years after bringing The Babadook to the big screen and shape-shifting the contemporary horror genre, director Jennifer Kent is back with her second heart-pumping feature film.

The Nightingale made its North American premiere on day two of the Sundance Film Festival and opened to a divisive reception from audiences. With no shortage of shock and awe, Kent makes a departure from The Babadook’s award-winning “supernatural psychological thriller” with her depiction of horrifying historical fact that will be showered in either accolades or disgust by audiences. And while it is a tough watch for its onscreen violence and over two-hour runtime, The Nightingale is ultimately essential viewing.

Written and directed by Kent, an Australian, she delves deep into her own country’s history and transports audiences into the thick Tasmanian wilderness during a time when slavery was commonplace and where the rights of women and indigenous black people were nonexistent. The year is 1825 and our protagonist, Clare (Aisling Franciosi), a young Irish former felon, has just witnessed her husband (Michael Sheasby) and newborn baby die in cold blood at the hands of her superior, Lieutenant Hawkins (Sam Claflin). With her mind set on the British officer and his gang to justice, Clare enlists Billy (Baykali Ganambarr), an Aboriginal guide who agrees to help her navigate through the violence-filled Australian forests.

The highs and lows in Clare and Billy’s relationship expose their shared troubled past and uncertain future. Race relations that were once heightened begin to thaw once the trust builds as their fragile bond is tested multiple times during their journey.

For as beautiful and wondrous as the landscape is, there is a haunting and viscous quality that mirrors our protagonist, Clare. Her femininity doesn’t mask her violent nature, but in fact, perpetuates her desire for revenge as a mother who lost a child. Kent juxtaposes this luscious greenery and fairytale-like surroundings with an abundance of blood splatters, deathly cries, and surreal night terrors.

Clare’s rage and subsequent quest for revenge are at the heart of The Nightingale, and its multi-layered look at female empowerment and toxic masculinity are themes that continue to hold steadfast in today’s culture. Despite the geographical distance and nearly 200-year age gap, The Nightingale has a similar feeling to The Handmaids Tale. If modern audiences aren’t made aware of how awful life was (or can get), we’re not able to see the warning signs of a potential repeat in the future. The story of Australia’s colonization of its native people in the 1820s may prove to be an international forewarning that is tough to swallow, but necessary to digest.

This review originally ran on February 1, 2019, during the Sundance Film Festival