It's 1920's in the isolated Australian outback. Sam Kelly (Hamilton Morris) is an Aboriginal working for kindly doctor Fred Smith (Sam Neill). Mick Kennedy is a brutal rancher with Aboriginals Archie and Philomac working for him. Philomac is Mick's son and often lies about his stealing. New arrival Harry March takes Philomac captive accusing him of stealing his watch. Philomac escapes and hides on Sam's property. A drunken Harry goes to Sam looking to take back Philomac. When he starts shooting up the place, Sam has no choice but to kill him in self-defense. Sam goes on the run with his wife Lizzie. Sergeant Fletcher (Bryan Brown) leads a posse to hunt down the fugitive.

There is a rawness to the style and the performances. There is a quiet style with the volatile material. I would avoid the flashbacks and flashforwards. Philomac is an infuriating character no matter how brutal Mick gets. No matter how flat the style, there is a simmering tension underneath that requires one's attention. The performances are unforgiving. There is one moment when Sam acknowledges that he could not have a child and the silence is absolutely deafening as one recalls the cattle scene. This is a quiet movie that leaves the audience devastated.