The Water Diviner

One does not have to be Turkish or an ANZAC descendant to be interested and touched by this film.. doesn't need to be necessarily interested in history, either. The Water Diviner offers something for everyone who carries a heart and soul. It offers a beautiful yet heart-wrenching journey to all those that love the art of cinema.

If I were asked "what is this movie about?" I'd say it's an epic tale of love and hope, a beautifully crafted story inspired by real life, and a breath-taking masterpiece that makes you forget where you are, or what time/day/year it is. It really is a captivating film. The story itself may sound rather simple to some, but in my opinion it's a spectacular mix of reality and art. Hats off to Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight for their great work, the Water Diviner tells a magical tale and reminds us what wars do to people, to families.. and to our humanity. I cannot imagine anyone who won't be touched by this film, touched very deep inside, that is. Whoever that ever loved somebody or lost a beloved one –sibling, parent, child, significant other, or friend, you name it– may have their heart shattered during certain scenes of the Water Diviner.

Apart from the story, the characters too felt so "real", and the cast performances were nothing short of what one would expect from such brilliant names. Russell Crowe, as always, seemed to "live" the role, not "just act" it.. and I'm so very glad that Cem Yilmaz has been in such a special project. In an attempt to keep my review as short as possible, and choosing to comment on acting after I see the movie more than once, I won't go into detail of each and every name. But.. I have to say that Ryan Corr's performance was outstanding! He and James Fraser certainly nailed it, causing a flood of tears among the audience –during a certain scene of this duo, I could hear sniffles and see shoulders shaking among the audience.. and I'm not exaggerating one bit. Speaking of the scenes that certainly leave a mark on the viewer, I'd like to say that certain scenes from the battle field were spectacular – both technically and artistically. The scenes are so "real" that they take you from your seat and put you on Lone Pine battlefield , feeling scared.. helpless.. angry.. and questioning what a war is.. and if it's even worth it. And then, there is a specific scene which reflect how a war can make people lose their humanity and surface the ferocity of human nature. As my favorite scene from the epic Noah, the creation scene, reminded us all: "Brother against brother. Nation against nation. Man against the creation. We murdered each other. We broke the world, we did this. Man did this."

The fascinating art is not limited to battle scenes, though. Andrew Lesnie simply works miracles, turning the movie into a feast for the eyes –from the dust storm in Australia to the breath-taking views of Istanbul, the Water Diviner presents top-quality cinematography *thumbs up* Before I wrap up my words on this beautiful piece of art, I'd like to mention two of the many special scenes which may well be extra-touching for the Turkish: i) The scene where Jemal (portrayed by Cem Yilmaz) raises a toast to Mustafa Kemal: During the screening at the Istanbul premiere, the audience responded to this by loud and clear applause, and it certainly will remain an unforgettable scene for many, many Turks. ii) Another special part of the movie that I really loved is the old Turkish folk song Jemal sings –an old song called "hey fifteen year olds", telling the story of 15 year old boys leaving home to join the battle of Gallipoli.

Taken together, the Water Diviner tells a tale of love mingled with adventure, delivers a sea of emotions from grief to hope, and works the magic of cinema, reaching the viewers' heart and mind in a way that crosses all barriers of language, different cultures, politics, and history.

PS: the Water Diviner was rewarded standing ovation, and I believe this was not only because it's a great movie, it was also a heart-felt "thank you" to the director for such an honest story which the Turkish audience isn't used to seeing in foreign films about Turkey and its history.

Kudos and hats off to Russell Crowe & the entire cast and crew. The Water Diviner (Turkish title: Son Umut, i.e. 'the Last Hope') is a spectacular movie, a must-see, a masterpiece.

If this is Russell Crowe's first film I can't wait to see what is to come. The Water Diviner takes you an an impossible, heart warming journey of a father looking for his sons after the tragedy of Gallipoli. What this film does well is captures both sides of the battle, the Turkish and the ANZAC's. It is visually stunning, emotionally charged and does more than most movies to pry open your empathetic side.

The cast are amazing but I think my praise would have to go to Ryan Corr, Yilmaz Erdogen and Olga Kurylenko for three beautiful performances. All three of them aid Crowe's performance in a highly emotional way and create depth and love within the film.

I highly recommend giving this film a go if you appreciate a film with a good story and good talent and I hope it receives the praise and attention it deserves. It is definitely worth the watch.

First of all, I am neither Australian nor Turkish. I'm from Rio, as far away as it can get from either country - not only in terms of geography, but also, and most importantly, in culture. I enjoyed "The Water Diviner" enormously nonetheless (watched it in Mediterranean Turkey on a trip), for this jewel of a movie is built upon universal themes of common appeal to our shared humankind.

This is the first film from an English-speaking country with a huge budget and world-famous actors that thoroughly succeeds in overcoming jingoism and achieving a perfectly harmonious, cross- culture balance of fairness that I have ever watched in my entire life.

The story has an amazing soul, a mesmerizing spiritual power, and a refreshing perspective on History. As a scholar of History, I'd say it treats a noble Turkish nation victim of absolutely unprovoked aggression from all sides during World War I with long-overdue justice after a 100 years, while retaining the dignity of ANZAC soldiers who fought with great bravery and loyalty for a dubious British cause.

"The Water Diviner" is not only a cinematographic masterpiece of rare beauty. It is a powerful statement of tolerance, a testimony of endless hope and love.

The quality of the acting and the production is first class. It is s well directed movie, hats off to Russell Crowe for his directorial debut. I really enjoyed the fact that the movie showed respect to the cultures depicted and kept things on a level playing field. During the screening it was very clear to me the audience was won over and totally engrossed in the movie, just as I was. Watched allot of movies in 2014, but this one is of a higher standard all round. This movie has the potential to be nominated for awards and any it wins would be well deserving. Special mention to Dylan Georgiades who was a delight to watch in the film. I rated this movie a 9/10, and I hope it is successful as it deserves to be, Russell Crowe has done it again.

Russell Crowe has absolutely outdone himself with this film; it had me entranced from the start. Beautifully shot, amazing casting and the time and effort put into the making of this film really shone through. I feel the costumers deserve an Oscar nomination for this one - everything was spot on which for a period drama is almost impossible:) Flawless casting and great character development leads the viewer through the story; this film will bring out emotions and provoke thought. I loved the perspective of the film; it is an exceptional sensitive retelling of an historical story from both perspectives and I think this is one of the absolute highlights of this film.

See it - you won't be disappointed!Take the tissues though...