Incident at Raven's Gate

Incident at Raven's Gate is a science fiction drama movie that was released in 1988. The movie was directed by Rolf de Heer and starred Steven Vidler, Celine O'Leary, and Ritchie Singer in the lead roles. The movie was produced in Australia and received a lot of critical attention upon its release.

The movie is set in a rural Australian town where strange and unexplained things begin to happen. Strange meteorological events start occurring, and the townsfolk start to behave oddly. The lead character of the movie, a drifter named Josh, is suspected of being behind these events. Josh is an ex-convict who has been wandering around the Australian Outback for years, trying to escape his past.

The movie opens with Josh walking into the small town of Raven's Gate, looking for work. He meets a young woman named Jane, who is the daughter of the local policeman. Jane is immediately attracted to Josh, and the two strike up a relationship. However, things take a strange turn when Josh is unable to account for his whereabouts on the night that strange things began to occur in the town.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the events that are taking place are otherworldly in nature. There are strange, glowing lights in the sky, and people are having strange visions. As the tension builds and the mystery deepens, the townsfolk begin to point the finger at Josh as the cause of all the strange occurrences.

The movie is a slow burn, and the tension builds incrementally as the story unfolds. The script is well-written, and the characters are well-developed. The movie does a great job of creating a sense of unease and dread without resorting to cheap scares or special effects.

The performances in the movie are excellent, especially Steven Vidler in the lead role. Vidler captures the essence of a troubled drifter perfectly, and he brings a sense of vulnerability to the character that is compelling. Celine O'Leary is also excellent as Jane, and her relationship with Josh is one of the highlights of the movie.

Director Rolf de Heer also deserves a lot of credit for the way he handles the material. He builds a palpable sense of tension and atmosphere throughout the movie, and he keeps the audience guessing right up until the very end. The cinematography is also excellent, capturing the desolate beauty of the Australian Outback perfectly.

Overall, Incident at Raven's Gate is a gripping and atmospheric science fiction drama that is well worth watching. It is a movie that has aged well and still holds up today, despite being over 30 years old. It is a testament to the skill of the filmmakers involved that the movie still manages to be both engaging and suspenseful after all these years.