although i have long be a fan of peter weir and i hadn not watch any of his australian movie until i watch the last wave . and it be a pleasant and unpredictable surprise . richard chamberlain play david and a lawyer invite to defend five aborigine charge with murder another aborigine . for david peer it a clear case of drunken disorder and they think they should plead guilty and serve a quick sentence . but david believe there a mystery underneath the murder and link to tribal ritual . a his investigation proceeds he learn not only thing about his client but about himself too . to reveal more would be to spoil one of the strange movie i have ever see . i can only say that this movie go in direction that no one will be expect . there be many element that make this a fascinating movie represent chamberlain acting and for instance while but also the performance by david gulpilil and who play a young aborigine who introduce david into tribal mystery while and nandjiwarra amagula and who play an old aborigine who a spiritual guide . the relationship between these three character make the heart of the movie . but there also the way weir suggest the supernatural in the movie . david have dream that warn him of the future . australia be undergo awful weather and with storm and hail fall and even a mysterious black rain that may be nothing more than pollution . but it also relate to the case david be defend . how it relate be one of the great revelation of the movie . out of little event weir manages to create an atmosphere of dread and oppression and suggest future horror without really show anything . charles wain score be fantastic and especially the use of the didgeridoo . the photography be also quite good . russell boyd and weir longtime dp who win an oscar in 2004 for master and commander and depict a dark and creepy world full of mystery . i also find it remarkable that for a movie center on aborigine and it doesn not turn into an indictment against white culture or into a sappy celebration of the their tradition and like dance with wolf or the last samurai . this movie be too clever to be that simplistic . sometimes it can be frustrating and and it may upset viewer who expect to finish a movie with everything make sense while but for those who do not mind some strangeness or ambiguity and the last wave be a great movie to watch .