

Director: Robert Sarkies
Cast: Matthew Sunderland, Karl Urban

The caption on the poster reads ...
"From the last place on earth comes a true story of courage and love"

Synopsis
The film recounts the killing of 13 people at Aramoana on the fateful 13 and 14 November, 1990.

My thoughts
-- Unlike many films that dwell with actual killings, this film does not go all out to shock you or over dramatize events ... instead, the director opts for a "sincere" approach ... the first killing will happen randomly (i.e., out of the blue) and so will many of the other ... the shock and sadness simply "sizzles" from the unfortunate event itself ...

-- the performance by the lead is great ... although little is done to explain or rationalize the actions of the killer (prob "out of the blue") and maybe "over possessive" of his turf and maybe "passion" for guns ... maybe there is just little material to work with (and the director wants to remain faithful to the incident) ...

-- notably, the director chooses to focus on the people ... the life of ordinary people in the first third of the film ... the reactions and courage of those affected/injured in the second third of the film ... and the police and their search in the last third ...

Conclusion
Recommended. Basically a sincere film ...

(1) Here is the song that is sounded at the end of the film ... 
very meaningful and melancholic ...
click
Don Mcglashan - I Will Not Let You Down

(2) An interview with the director
click
http://www.fighttimes.com/magazine/magazine.asp?article=576