Retro Film Review: Romper Stomper (1992)

(source: tmdb.org)

In today's world, where movies are entertainment before anything else, there are fewer and fewer directors who dare to tackle unpleasant subjects. However, the real test of filmmaker's courage comes when unpleasant issues are approached from even less pleasant perspectives. Such efforts, especially in the climate of "political correctness", can often create public misunderstanding and controversies. One of such examples is Romper Stomper, Australian drama directed by Geoffrey Wright in 1992. Simply because it dealt certain form of social pathology from rather unconventional angle, this film was accused of being too sympathetic towards that angle and it took festival awards to silence the critics. These days the film is less known for its controversies and more because of its principal actor, Russell Crowe, whose role in it was probably the most impressive before his future Hollywood triumphs in L.A. Confidential and Gladiator.

The plot begins in Melbourne, city towards which flows the endless river of Asian, mostly Vietnamese, immigrants who gradually take over entire neighbourhoods. For many impoverished and unemployed white youths Asians are convenient explanation for their own misery, so some accepted the most extreme form of xenophobic racism and become skinheads. The small group led by charismatic Hando (played by Russell Crowe) is just one of many that fight a war for racial purity by mercilessly beating any Asian unfortunate to be in their proximity. After a while, Vietnamese decide that they had enough so they organise and start fighting back. Hando's group is suddenly faced with superior number of enemies and starts to fall apart. Hando and his lieutenant Davey (played by Daniel Pollock) are forced to run from Melbourne in order to save their lives. The only assistance comes in the form of Gabe (played by Jacqueline Mackenzie), epileptic young woman from well-to-do family, but her presence would turn out to be the reason of Hando's final downfall.

While people usually associate skinheads with Germany, the phenomenon is more widespread. Even Serbia, the country that tends to boast with its anti-Nazi past, has witnessed emergence of local skinheads and Great Britain, another country that was often cited as example of racial harmony, has recently seen explosion of racial violence and increased popularity of far right political options. This obviously global phenomenon receives somewhat unusual and rather risky treatment in Romper Stomper - instead of taking the easy route and showing skinheads as brainless and worthless losers who embraced racism as a way to give some kind of importance to their sorry existence, Wright takes the hard route and shows skinheads through their own eyes. In the process the viewer is not only in position to be acquainted with very authentic-looking subculture of skinheads and their way of life (that may be quite seductive for unemployed and impoverished urban youths), but also with the whole philosophy preached by Hando and their ilk. While doing this, Wright nevertheless manages not to romanticise skinheads - the violence in film is extremely graphic and in the end skinheads are presented as nothing more than thugs while powerful yet ironic finale might be viewed as their final condemnation.

Romper Stomper is at times very powerful and thought-provoking film, but this impression might be diluted with some of less fortunate creative decisions. Whole character of Gabe and the subplot involving her father looks like an unnecessary diversion from the main story. Furthermore, otherwise impressive musical score by John Clifford White doesn't fit well with punk songs that often play at the wrong scenes. However, Wright was fortunate enough to have extremely good cast led by Russell Crowe who is brilliant in playing the character who is charismatic leader and violent simpleton in the same time. However, Crowe's performance is outshined by Jacqueline Mackenzie, one of the most talented Australian actresses, here playing the complex role of the character that is sexually attractive and emotionally repulsive in the same time. Her partner Daniel Pollock (who committed suicide before the release of the film) is also very impressive in the role of Hando's lieutenant Davey. All in all, Romper Stomper, through its naturalistic and unrelenting portrayal of modern society's darker side, represents one of the most interesting and most impressive films made in previous decade.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on September 25th 2001)