One of the most famous filmmakers to ever live isQuentin Tarantino, who’s been around since the 1990s thanks to projects likeReservoir Dogs(1992) andPulp Fiction(1994). Those movies helped establish Tarantino as a household name, while subsequent films in the twenty-first century, likeInglourious Basterds(2009) andDjango Unchained(2012), solidified him as anall-time Hollywood great.
As he’s gained worldwide prominence throughout the years, Tarantino has shone a light on dozens of up-and-coming directors. Bong Joon-ho from South Korea and Timur Bekmambetov from Russia — though you may not be familiar with their names, both directors have made some of the greatest films from their respective regions. Consistently, Tarantino has attested to their talent.
Another example isDavid Michôd, an Australian auteur who released four films in the 2010s. His first two features,Animal Kingdom(2010) andThe Rover(2014) received praise from Tarantino along with dozens of other notable filmmakers. It’s easy to see why. And while both movies hold up as high-quality projects today, Michôd’s directorial debut was held in higher regard by critics. Of the two, fans are more likely to recognizeAnimal Kingdom.
David Michôd’s Critically Acclaimed Debut
Animal Kingdom
Coarse, shocking, and entirely emotional — directed by Michôd from his witty, original script,Animal Kingdomtackles tough topics off the bat. The filmmaker tells his story no holds barred, uncompromising in the most endearing of ways, beginning withsubstance abuse and a drug overdose. After his mother passes away, Joshua “J” Cody (played by James Frecheville) goes to live with his grandmother. Her name is “Smurf,” played by the famous Jacki Weaver, while Ben Mendelsohn appears as “Pope,” the former’s eldest child.
A family of criminals, the Codys operate out of the underworld of Melbourne, Australia, and they do so with a modus operandi — armed robberies, typically. It’s a compelling plot that elicits an array of emotions, thrilling in one moment and poignant in the next, all punctuated by a subtle blend of dark comedy that defines the tone of the film. Like the film’s impactful plot points, Michôd’s dulcet dialogue pulls no punches in its vulgarity, but that’s who these people are. To tell it any differently, the storyteller would be lying.
Each character has endearing quirks while sharing engaging chemistry with the next, and they’re all played with passion and poise by their respective actors. Other names among the cast include Guy Pearce and Joel Edgerton, two legendaryperformers of Australian descent. And like everyone else inAnimal Kingdom, they both provide indelible efforts in a well-paced tale of animalistic violence that culminates in a resonant finale.
Best Guy Pearce Movies, Ranked
A diverse and interesting actor, Guy Pearce has been gracing our screens for over 30 years. Here are his greatest movies, ranked.
Upon release, the film received rave reviews from critics, fans, and filmmakers alike. That includes Tarantino. At the end of 2010, he namedAnimal Kingdomhis third-favorite movie of the year, behindThe Social NetworkandToy Story 3—pretty high honors. And just like Tarantino, hardcore film fans had their eyes on this up-and-coming Australian creative after his profound debut. Although critical consensus may imply otherwise, Michôd’s follow-up film was of the utmost quality: a dystopian Western set in the atmospheric outback of Australia.
Michôd Returned With an Underrated Follow-Up
Among themost underrated Westernsever made isThe Rover, directed by Michôd from a story he created with frequent collaborator Joel Edgerton. Its plot focuses on Eric — played by Guy Pearce — who recruits Robert Pattinson’s character (named Reynolds) to track the latter’s group of thieving friends. They stole Eric’s car, his last prized possession in this dystopian Australian outback, and the protagonist develops a memorable chemistry with Reynolds throughout their hard-hitting revenge tour.
Though you may be unfamiliar with their work, other names among the cast include Scoot McNairy and Susan Prior. The latter won Best Supporting Actress at the 4th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, while Pearce and Pattinson received nominations in their respective categories. The filmmaker at hand was also nominated for Best Director, with Michôd’s high-quality Western picking up three other nods in total: Best Production Design, Best Original Music Score, and Best Sound.
All those nominations were well-earned and entirely indicative of the film’s quality.The Roverdeserves far more love today as arguably one of the greatest Westerns of the last 15 years. It’s replete with engaging dialogue and charismatic performances, taking place in front of a gorgeous yet inhospitable backdrop. And none of that even touches on the fireworks of the film’s finale, an unforgettable scene that perfectly punctuates the poignance of the prior plot points.
The 20 Greatest Westerns You’ve Probably Never Seen
Even if a few westerns on this list ring a bell, they deserve far more love as some of the greatest movies the genre’s ever seen.
It’s one of themost effective endingsever crafted, resulting in an essential modern Western that features brilliant acting from two superstars of the industry. American filmmaker Tarantino deemedThe Rovera “mesmerizing, visionary achievement” and “the best post-apocalyptic movie since the originalMad Max.” It’s easy to see why. Tarantino continued, “With the one-two punch ofAnimal KingdomandThe Rover, David Michôd proves himself to be the most uncompromising director of his generation.”
That’s high praise from one of the most famous filmmakers working today. And although Michôd’s third featureWar Machine(2017) received lackluster reviews from critics, he followed up brilliantly withThe King(2019) a couple of years later. That said, his recent projects aside, David Michôd’s first two films — a revered crime drama and an underrated Western — should help him be remembered among the century’s finest talents. Let alone the most uncompromising.Animal Kingdomis available to stream on Paramount+, whileThe Roveris on Prime Video with Cinemax.
