Cinematographer Nicolas Roeg turned first-time director here with a highly visceral and thought-provoking film about two Australian city children stranded in the hot, dusty Outback. They meet a young Aborigine and hope he will lead them back to civilization. Lots of artistic shots of insects and extreme closeups of fascinating reptiles have convinced people this must be a masterpiece (funny, Randal Kleiser's "The Blue Lagoon" had similar shots, and no one praises that!). The story exposition is rather muffled, and the finale is pretentious, but Jenny Agutter certainly gives the film a boost (her beauty is astonishing, especially in a memorable nude swimming scene). Overall, Roeg's position on these characters and their plight feels somewhat indifferent; he's as aloof from them as he is from the audience, and the viewer may walk away feeling they were abandoned as well. **1/2 from ****
Review of Walkabout
