Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

jadavix "Breaker Morant" is a riveting courtroom drama, and one of the great tales of injustice during wartime. The 'Breaker' of the title refers to horse breaker; Harry Morant was known for his ability to induct wild horses into the service of the military.However, when one of his cohorts, Captain Hunt, is mutilated by Boer guerrillas in South Africa, he orders a firing squad of a group of prisoners who may or may not be responsible for the gruesome murder.The second Boer war was known as the "dirty war" for a reason. There were many crimes of war committed by the British forces. In the case of Morant and his two deputies, it seems scapegoating by the crown was the obvious cause for this bit of judicial hypocrisy. The movie is captivating and refreshingly unbiased. It doesn't turn a blind eye to the realities of war in which anything goes and superiors turn a blind eye whenever it suits them, but are quick to point the finger, and absent themselves, when called on it.It is ideally cast: Edward Woodward as the stiff upper lip Englishman, Jack Thompson as the incisive lawyer, Bryan Brown as the free living ladies man, but above all, the direction is exceptional. "Breaker Morant" is not only one of the best Australian movies; it's one of the best dramas ever made.

gavin6942 Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.I believe this is based on a true story, which makes it all the better. What we have is a classic tale of responsibility and leadership. Do soldiers have a responsibility to protect their leaders, even when the leaders are in the wrong and it could mean their death? This happens from time to time, and a recent example (as of 2015) are the incidents at Abu Ghraib. Should one be punished or following orders? And should those giving orders be held at fault? If yes, how far up the chain? Some of this, in different ways, goes back to the Nuremberg trials, and much earlier. The military and war do not work on the same principles as civilian life and the actions we take in our communities.

David Conrad If a producer had received the stereotypical Hollywood pitch for "Breaker Morant," I imagine it would have gone something like this: "It takes place during a war—no, not one of the popular ones, it's the Boer War—and the protagonists are three probable war criminals, quite unrepentant... Likable? Well, one of them likes to recite his own poetry... Yes, it has some beautiful outdoors shots, so we'll need to send the whole cast and crew to South Africa, but most of the action will take place in an ugly little army prison where the characters debate the finer points of British military law and Edwardian-era geopolitics."Luckily, if any producer at the South Australian Film Corporation received such a pitch, they agreed to make the film. Patriotism may have had something to do with it. Beneath the shouted legalese of a movie court martial and the scenes from a cold-blooded guerilla war, "Breaker Morant" is about the place of Australia in the British Commonwealth as understood by three men from different strata of turn-of-the-century Australian society. Their loyal service in time of war lands them in deadly peril when London decides that they are more useful as scapegoats than as soldiers. In the most moving, character-driven scenes, each man remembers and longs for Australia, where they have families and where the title character once enjoyed "breaking" horses. Meanwhile, the script takes numerous not-so- subtle digs at the part-German royal family and at Lord Kitchener, Britain's most famous soldier.For a certain kind of patriotic Australian, this based-on-a-true story must be a rousing defense of Australian independence and Australian bravery. It's a fascinating watch even for those without a dog in that hunt, but it is fair to ask whether the movie is too uncritical of its three heroes. Are they, after all, war criminals responsible for the mistreatment of prisoners and noncombatants? Or does the movie prove its thesis that the real guilt lay farther up the chain of command, and that the King's Australian soldiers were caught up in an unprecedented and complex kind of war from which nobody could come out both alive and clean? The heroic tone at the end is hard to swallow if you haven't been persuaded of the latter interpretation. But the beautiful shots of the veldt, and the thoughtful examination of a historical moment seldom depicted on screen, make it a satisfying film nonetheless.

ScapegoatsOfTheEmpire This is an excellent film about military justice. Born in London, England, Harry Morant, called Breaker by Australians for his uncanny ability to break any horse, immigrated to Australia in the later part of the 19th century. Both British colonies, Australia and New Zealand, fought for the British against the Boers in the Second Boer War. Breaker Morant is now a legend in Australia. This movie is well directed by Bruce Beresford; and Edward Woodard was excellent in his portrayal of Breaker Morant, just as Bryan Brown was excellent as his friend, Lieutenant Peter Handcock. Both Lieutenant Morant and Lieutenant Handcock were executed after a court martial for killing Boer prisoners- of-war February 1902. This film is the most honored film in Australian film history, earning 10 Australian Film Institute awards in 1980. This movie is well scripted, acted, and directed, with excellent photography. I found the movie to be gripping as it presented the court martial with evidence for and against the accused. At the end, it is you the viewer who must decide if military justice is fair or unfair. This is one (1) of my all time favorite movies.