The Last Wave (1977)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
When lawyer David Burton (Richard Chamberlain) is assigned a case to defend a group of indigenous Australian men, he is unprepared for the nightmares and dreamscapes ahead. Accused of murdering one of their own, the men stand trial amidst suspicious circumstances and, as Burton becomes plagued by unsettling visions, he is drawn to the mysterious Chris Lee (David Gulpilil) for answers to his torment. As the erratic climate turns dangerous, Burton senses a greater power at play, where tribal customs and the ancient ideas of Dreamtime may be more than just an ominous warning. Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Peter Weir explores a startling world on the brink of apocalypse in 'The Last Wave', a time and place where Mother Nature and human nature are destined to collide in catastrophic disaster. - Actors:
- Richard Chamberlain, Olivia Hamnett, David Gulpilil, Frederick Parslow, Vivean Gray, Nandjiwarra Amagula, Walter Amagula, Roy Bara, Cedrick Lalara, Morris Lalara, Peter Carroll, Athol Compton, Hedley Cullen, Michael Duffield, Wallas Eaton
- Directors:
- Peter Weir
- Producers:
- Hal McElroy, Jim McElroy
- Writers:
- Peter Weir, Tony Morphett, Petru Popescu
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Thrillers
- Collections:
- 10 Films to Watch If You Liked Picnic At Hanging Rock, 10 Films to Watch Next If You Liked The Babadook, Films to Watch If You Like..., People of the Pictures, Remembering Richard Chamberlain
- Countries:
- Australia
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Reviews (1) of The Last Wave
Visions You Can’t Unsee - The Last Wave review by griggs
The Last Wave unsettled me with its quiet persistence. It begins as a tidy crime film, before drifting into an existential thriller pitching lawyer David Burton into Dreamtime and the Aboriginal cosmos.
The pacing is unhurried, yet jagged edits fracture time: every dripping tap or splash of water (of which there are plenty), feels like a coded warning, stretching beyond the confines of the film. Peter Weir explores the cultural collision; he never lectures. Modern reason buckles under the ancestral rhythms. Burton’s sceptical mind splinters under the apocalyptic visions. By the end, it certainly had me rattled too. The iconic finale—a wave that may either be real or revelatory—signals rupture, not ruin.
The film unfortunately overreaches in places, but the atmosphere clings to you. It fascinates as well as frustrates. Never dull, but always slightly out of reach.