Balibo: DVD Review

Balibo: DVD Review

Balibo

Rating: M
Released by Madman

The ever reliable Anthony LaPaglia stars as war journalist Roger East in Balibo - he's called to investigate the disappearance of five Australian journalists in the township of Balibo by Jose Ramos-Horta (Oscar Isaac).

The quintet was looking into the invasion of East Timor by Indonesian forces when they disappeared - and despite East's initial reluctance to get involved, Ramos-Horta piques his journalistic fancy.

East's been promised the job of running the News agency in East Timor as the invasion got underway in 1975 - but he's more concerned about what actually happened to the journalists and why the Australian government - and the world - didn't seem to care.

However, as East heads closer into dangerous territory he soon realises the country's on tipping point and atrocities are being committed which no-one's being told about - can he get to the truth and survive?

Political thriller Balibo is, by turns heartbreaking, horrific and dramatic - the central story of the missing five is book ended by a journalist interviewing a girl who was in Balibo in 1975. He's trying to establish exactly what went on so that those whose lives were lost can get some form of justice. Throughout, the film is interspersed with footage of the journalists and their journey deeper into the heart of East Timor. By initially only using snippets of the journalists' actions, director Robert Connolly very cleverly pieces together a narrative framework which is rich in content and throws you right into the middle of the story.

Extras: This 2 disc set has a wealth of extras for those wanting to know more about the real life situation - a respectable package for an important film

Rating: 7/10