Mad Bastards Film Analysis
What does it mean to be Australian? In Australian media, an Aussie is typically portrayed as a Caucasian, larger-than-life, masculine male who hunts crocodiles for a living and lives in the bush; the vast, yet stunning landscape that occupies over 70% of the country (Alice Springs Desert Park). This is how Australians want their country to viewed in the national spotlight, but the problem is, it is not at all realistic. Australia is becoming a very multicultural country, with the percentage of residents born over seas approaching nearly 25% (Khoo 2012), and the indigenous population nearing 550,000; a number that only represents the people who choose to identify as indigenous (Khoo 2012). The Caucasian male is quickly diminishing as a representation
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Grandpa Tex is a police officer in Five Rivers, a rural community in the Kimberly region. He has the difficult job of keeping the poverty stricken town together, as well as saving his loved ones from the drinking culture many residents have fallen into. Being a town servant, Tex often demands obedience to those he encounters, but he is also compassionate, holding a men’s meeting every week to discuss issues amongst the community’s men. The other protagonist, T.J, is a short-fused meathead who reigns from Perth, the largest city in Western Australia. His life has not been easy either, as he is isolated from his family due to his short-fuse and criminal behavior. In an effort to turn over a new leaf, T.J. embarks on a journey to Five Rivers to visit his son, whom he abandoned 13 years prior. While T.J. hitch-hikes to Five Rivers, attention shifts over to his son, Bullet, an adolescent delinquent who faces charges for arson. Bullet is caught between two evils, his single mother who is distressed alcoholic, and his father. To serve his arson charges, Bullet is sent to bush camp, which proves to be a life changing experience for him, as well as point in the film. Lead by a respected elder, he and his once delinquent friends journey into the bush, roasting lizards and catching crocodiles for meals. The beauty of the bush clears his mind, coordinating with the way the bush treats his father. On his way
Grandpa Tex is a police officer in Five Rivers, a rural community in the Kimberly region. He has the difficult job of keeping the poverty stricken town together, as well as saving his loved ones from the drinking culture many residents have fallen into. Being a town servant, Tex often demands obedience to those he encounters, but he is also compassionate, holding a men’s meeting every week to discuss issues amongst the community’s men. The other protagonist, T.J, is a short-fused meathead who reigns from Perth, the largest city in Western Australia. His life has not been easy either, as he is isolated from his family due to his short-fuse and criminal behavior. In an effort to turn over a new leaf, T.J. embarks on a journey to Five Rivers to visit his son, whom he abandoned 13 years prior. While T.J. hitch-hikes to Five Rivers, attention shifts over to his son, Bullet, an adolescent delinquent who faces charges for arson. Bullet is caught between two evils, his single mother who is distressed alcoholic, and his father. To serve his arson charges, Bullet is sent to bush camp, which proves to be a life changing experience for him, as well as point in the film. Lead by a respected elder, he and his once delinquent friends journey into the bush, roasting lizards and catching crocodiles for meals. The beauty of the bush clears his mind, coordinating with the way the bush treats his father. On his way