ShangLuda Admirable film.

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

ma-cortes After the Battle of Gallipoli, in 1915, an Aussie farmer called Connor (Russell Crowe), travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to attempt locate his three sons , allegedly missing in action . At a hotel he meets a beautiful widow (Olga Kurylenko who learned Turkish for her character), and later on he tries to find out a way in arrive to Gallipoli , where reportedly died his children . As he must travel across the war-torn landscape with the help of a British Lt Colonel called Hughes (Jai Courtney) and a Turkish Officer (Erdogan) . Meanwhile , there takes place the Greek-Turkish war and the invasion of Smirna by the Greeks . As it is set during the Turkish War of Independence, in revolutionary days during fall of the Ottoman Empire . The War resulted the defeat of Greece in Western Turkey (Greco-Turkish war), on the East, Armenian state and Britain, France and Georgia. This is a family story in which is treated thought-provoking issues with a tough man holding onto hope, fighting for a desire , and bringing to life a promise . Australian Russell Crowe gives an acceptable actiing as the Aussie father who goes out to find his 3 missing sons and while staying at a hotel in Istanbul, he falls in love with a gorgeous widow. The charming Olga Kurylenko is good as the attractive widow mistreated by his brother-in-law who wants to marry her . Support cast is pretty well , such as Jai Courtney , Isabel Lucas and Jacqueline McKenzie who also starred with Crowe in the 1992 hit Romper Stomper . And some fine Turks actors as Cem Yilmaz and Yilmaz Erdogan who are both comedy actors in Turkey . It displays a colorful and evocative cinematography by Oscar-winning cameraman Andrew Lesnie , being his final movie . Sensitive as well as thrilling musical score by David Hirschfelder , helped by Lisa Gerard .The motion picture was stunningly acted/produced/directed by Russell Crowe . The picture gives an interesting portrayal about the bloody campaign and battle of Gallipoli . There happened the following : The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, the Battle of Gallipoli, or the Battle of Çanakkale , was a campaign of the First World War that took place on the Gallipoli peninsula (Gelibolu in modern Turkey) in the Ottoman Empire between 17 February 1915 and 9 January 1916. The peninsula forms the northern bank of the Dardanelles, a strait that provided a sea route to the Russian Empire, one of the Allied powers during the war. Intending to secure it, Russia's allies, Britain and France, launched a naval attack followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula, with the aim of capturing the Ottoman capital of Constantinople (modern Istanbul).The naval attack was repelled and after eight months' fighting, with many casualties on both sides, the land campaign was abandoned and the invasion force was withdrawn to Egypt.The campaign was the only major Ottoman victory of the war. In Turkey, it is regarded as a defining moment in the nation's history, a final surge in the defence of the motherland as the Ottoman Empire crumbled. The campaign is often considered to be the beginning of Australian and New Zealand national consciousness; 25 April, the anniversary of the landings, is known as "Anzac Day", the most significant commemoration of military casualties and veterans in the two countries, surpassing Remembrance Day , Armistice Day .The struggle formed the basis for the Turkish War of Independence and the declaration of the Republic of Turkey eight years later, with Mustafa Kemal (Kemal Atatürk) as President, who rose to prominence as a commander at Gallipoli. Mustafa Kemal, Attaturk commanded the Turkish national movement in the war of independence. His successful military campaigns led to liberation of the country and to the establishing of Turkey. He transformed the former Ottoman Empire into a democratic, modern, secular nation-state , his reforms are referred as Kemalism. Ankara became the new capital and Kemal abolished the Caliphate and Sultanate. .

William-of-Baskerville This movie starts with some beautiful wide shots, then quickly turns sentimental. When the father arrives in Turkey to look for his sons after the battle of Gallipoli, the story seems to hold up, but quickly starts disintegrating into non-relevant elements. Towards the end it's getting weak and very hard to watch. Think soap-opera cheesy. I was also very irritated by the attempts at whitewashing Ottoman/Turkish history. First this happens when visiting the Blue Mosque, where the father is so surprised to acknowledge that such a beautiful thing does not exist in his culture. Well, maybe not in Australia, but sitting next to it is the Hagia Sophia, until modern times the building with the largest dome, which was a Christian Church until it was captured by the same Ottomans during their conquest of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire. The Hagia Sophia is thus an expression of the same culture that led to the culture of Australia. Second, during the second half, Greeks are painted as truly evil villains against the noble Turks, whereas during the period of 1914-1922 is known by historians as the Greek genocide: the systematic genocide of the Christian Ottoman Greek population from Turkey, by the Ottoman Empire's government. Third, the movie is also completely silent about the Armenian genocide from 1915-1923 where the same (Islamic) government exterminated 1.5 million (Christian) Armenians, something acknowledged by international scholars, but denied by Turkish government to this day. That same genocide has been the inspiration for Hitler's genocide against among others the Jews during World War 2. He said of it:"Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter -- with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It's a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me.I have issued the command -- and I'll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad -- that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formations in readiness -- for the present only in the East -- with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"Hitler was well aware that denial of the Armenian genocide was a strong signal that his tyranny would not be opposed by the civilized world. It is telling that Russell Crowe sought Turkish approval, and the Turkish minister of culture told him "I believe in the script.". That's the same minister who's responsible for Article 301 in the penal code, which has been used to prosecute Turkish citizens who have brought the Armenian genocide to the attention of the people. No wonder Armenian and Greek organizations have called for a boycot of this film.

erdal-eroglu One of the best movies of the year.Very nice cinematography - quite impressive. Nice story line and dialogues. Great first movie from Russel Crowe as a Director - just WAOW.All Actors are great - Olga Kurylenko impressed me very much. Russel Crowe is extremely good as always and the Actors playing British officers were great. Turkish Actors were well selected and acted very well. Loved both the Major and the Sergeant.The story about the 3 lost brothers really touched me. The battle scenes in Gallipoli took my breath away .... and a few tears as well.I advise it to people who love epic movies, beautiful stories and cinematography. Looking forward to Russel Crowe's next movie !!

Kirpianuscus in the past. in yourself. across history lesson. in the heart of fatherhood. or only support for reflection. each image is realistic. because it is sentimental and good acted, courageous and heroic. because it is a subtle, delicate, tender , convincing mix between war story, love story and hope. and it has the beautiful chance to have the right actors. sure, Russel Crowe. but, maybe more important, Yilmaz Erdogan and Olga Kurylenko. for a man from the East, at the gate of the Orient, like me, the atmosphere is the most remarkable part.the embroidery of small gestures and flavor of words and humor and expressions of compassion. for me, as a history teacher, the delicacy and precision of trip in old episodes of the pain represents a precious gift. because it is only a story about people, from different cultures, with the same language of feelings. but, sure, it is not the only virtue of the film. because, like many good films, The Water Diviner has the grace to be an experience. not only cinematographic.