So much average

Sadly Over-hyped

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Do you like movies with star-cross'd lovers, tribal rivalries, scampish little sisters, pristine Polynesian islands, active volcanoes & penis sheaths? If so, TANNA is the movie for you! Simultaneously heart-breaking & hopeful, this film was the first to be shot entirely in Vanuatu. At times you will laugh, gasp & most definitely cry, as you follow the timeless tale (based on a true story) of two lovers caught in the middle of parental & tribal responsibilities. The cinematography was breathtaking & displayed the impeccable photographic vision of filmmakers who had previously created documentaries. The performers were not trained actors, but members of the Yakel tribe--however, their performances were as heart-felt & gut-wrenchingly real as that of any Oscar winning actor. The stand-out for me, was the young girl, Marceline Rofit, who played the role of the impish little sister, Selin. The depth of emotion that she evoked is well beyond her years & is a stand-out among all the incredible performances in this film.

The fact that the little known Australian backed film Tanna was nominated this year at the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language category is quite the feat.A film that barely saw recognition when it was released in Australian cinemas early last year, Tanna all of a sudden found itself competing on the world's biggest cinematic stage and it's lovely to see such a low key Australian effort make it to the Dolby Theatre, even if Martin Butler and Bentley Dean's film isn't the sum of its parts.Before delving into Tanna the film, it's worth noting that the very fact that this movie exists and the background behind it makes it a film worth talking about, if not a film you'll be recommending to many people come the closing credits.An Australian/Vanuatu co-production that's filmed entirely in one of the local islands native dialects and stars villagers of the country who are not only non-professional's, but also actors who'd never seen a camera let alone a motion picture, directors Martin Butler and Bentley Dean went too great lengths to bring this true story to life.Like a real life stripped backed Romeo and Juliet, Tanna tells the story of lovebirds Dain and Wawa as they fight to be together against the rules of their tribe and people and are outcast, left to traverse the naturally beautiful landscape of their surrounds.It's within this that Butler and Dean deliver some truly stunning cinematography and bring about naturalistic performances from their learning on the job cast, these elements combine and work together wonderfully with acclaimed composer Antony Partos's score and Gladiator songstress Lisa Gerrard's vocals and it gives Tanna a much needed boost when its less successful combinations come to the forefront.For such a unique motion picture it's a real shame Tanna's central story feels so generic and unengaging, we never feel a connection to Dain and Wawa, partly due to skin deep performances but largely due to the delivery of stilted dialogue and a fact that the actual story itself isn't that original.You can't help but escape the feeling that such a one-off piece of work would've benefited from taking more risks with its narrative and while it can't be an easy task for foreign filmmakers to work in the conditions that Tanna set itself up for, there's never an excuse for a film of this ilk to delve into boredom inducing lulls or such forceful script work, no matter the language.Final Say – Full credit to the Australian film industry for getting behind such a grand vision and what a fantastic cue for such a low-key Australian event to find itself a whole new audience on the biggest stage in Hollywood but while Tanna is a pretty and well intentioned tale of forbidden romance in a totally majestical setting, there's nothing that special about the story it tells or how it tells it, making Tanna a disappointing but a never less than curious affair.2 1/2 angry volcano's out of 5

Interesting directing, watchable cinematography and natural habitat...How could they capture all the movie? All characters are non-actor or actress but they are very grateful. Climate, local people, real characters, amazing volcano scenes, shortly cast overcame all of the different problems, victoriously. In my opinion, movie' all the say is "alleged" uncivilized society must had be wild. On the contrary, movie's every second said that they are more civilized against us. I love meeting scenes.

Tanna is a small island in the South Pacific, part of the nation of Vanuatu. The traditional way of life is still prevalent there, so Western sensibilities have to be put to one side for this film featuring tribal dances, pig slaughtering and penis sheaths.Dain is a chieftain's grandson and Wawa granddaughter of a shaman. The pair are in love, but when a long-standing rivalry with a neighbouring tribe once more erupts into violence, Wawa's hand in marriage is promised to a warrior of that tribe as part of peace negotiations. Forbidden by their elders from being together, Wawa and Dain resolve to defy their families.So far, so Romeo and Juliet. Except that this is based on actual events that happened barely thirty years ago, making the film an account of a relatively recent way of life on the isolated island - unsurprisingly, as directors/producers/scriptwriters Martin Butler and Bentley Dean usually work on documentaries. As you would expect from a cast of non-professionals, the acting is of variable quality, but the cinematography - from the lush forest to the barren landscape of the island's volcano, lit only by occasional eruptions of lava - is stunning. And how often do you see a film from the South Pacific?