Tracks - A Movie Review

Keep on walking. Time moves in one direction.

Tracks is a 2013 film based on a true story. Robyn Davidson has always had a different outlook on the world. Treks out on a 1,700-mile journey across the deserts of West Australia with four camels and her dog, Robyn learns a valuable lesson about herself.

Tracks is another film inspired by an incredible journey. Sometimes you have to get away from the world to figure life out. While Tracks is a beautiful story, I didn’t feel the magnitude of this journey.

Mia Wasikowska is a wonderful actress. She has starred in a multitude of different genres. Wasikowska is splendid in the role, eager to take any risky choice. She handpicked which snake to share a scene with! As for her character, we needed more information about Robyn to understand her motivations.

Adam Driver has become one of my favorite actors. Playing an awkward and shy man, Rick made me smile. Taking photographs of Robyn’s trip, they become friends. I wish Rick could have been in the story more. Instead of Rick, this random person who Robyn meets in one of the villages tags along with her for a bit.

Here’s where I had a problem with the story. I never got a sense of the expedition. The time skips were not believable. Robyn is on this journey for nine months. Time passed way too fast. In one scene, Rick told Robyn that he’d see her two weeks later. And in the very next scene, he is back. Apparently, two weeks have already passed!

There should have been a change in Robyn’s hair which always stays the same style and length the whole movie! Tracks was slow. I only got a sense of the tiring journey halfway in. Robyn was resting in villages more than on the road. There’s no sense of peril.

Not actors, but the camels were the best part of Tracks. You can really learn a lot about camels in this movie. The camels had several humorous moments, like their reactions or the funny noises they’d make. Wasikowska underwent a three-day boot camp to get herself comfortable with the camels.

This film spent years in pre-production. John Curran examined every detail of this story, looking at photographs taken from Robyn’s trek. Curran went for realism, using actual clothes that Robyn wore along her journey.

As mentioned in the opening credits, certain scenes and characters were created for dramatic purposes. Not much happens in the film besides watching Robyn travel.

The direction and camera techniques explored the desert locations with pride. Filming in the desert locations for two months was tough. Flies would often penetrate the camera. Lighting effects and color reflections were taken into deep concentration.

Take movies like Wild and Into the Wild. Both films show the evolution of the characters on their journeys. Robyn has everything she needs because, in almost every scene, she is resting in a village, eating, retrieving supplies, or talking with fellow villagers. In other films of the genre, characters struggle for their own survival having little supplies and making rations.

Sometimes you just have to go your own route to discover yourself. Ordinary people are capable of conquering any challenge. Just know what you are capable of and be aware of love. Robyn Davidson had a hand in the making of this film, helping out with the camels.

I still recommend Tracks. It has a notable message for any adventurer. Be aware that it is slow in its pace but it is profound.