What makes it different from others?

This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

I have seen a few reviews both here and on other sites that make me laugh in relation to the reviewer's knowledge of the movie "plot" and of Tanna Island itself.NO, NO, NO! Tanna is NOT in a remote part of Australia nor is it a part of the Solomon Island group.Tanna is one of the 97 Islands in the Republic of Vanuatu, (Formerly known as the New Hebrides until independence in 1980.)There is no such word as "Vanuatuan" it is just Vanuatu. The people are known as Ni-Vanuatu (basically meaning 'born Vanuatu'), not "Indians".For those who thought that the 'plot' was a bit thin, what were the film makers supposed to do? The 'plot' is based on REAL events that happened just as 'recently' as 1987. Would it have been right for the film makers to fabricate a different story or outcome?One of the real take aways from the movie and the events themselves was just how quickly the Ni-Vanuatu people reacted to the sad outcome that was initially brought on by the prior custom of arranged marriages.The people in the movie may be viewed by some as 'uneducated savages', but hey, they stopped arranged marriages in 1987, the Royal Family of Britain were still wanting to arrange marriages until Prince William and Prince Harry turned the tide.The other thing that gains some criticism, is that the film gets a bit slow from time to time. Yes, I agree that it does.But I think what the movie makers were trying to create, was not just a typical movie with just a storyline, they were trying to draw us into knowing the people of Vanuatu better, they were giving us incredible images of the great beauty of the country and it's islands, and they were showing us that Vanuatu is "another time, another pace".Things do tend to happen a bit slowly in Vanuatu, and the Pacific Islands as a whole. The term 'Pacific Time' is well known to seasoned travellers.In Vanuatu, you learn to slow down, look around and see and appreciate the little things in life. Take time to smell the Hibiscus and the fresh clean environment.Sure there is violence, but also look at the simple pleasures and happiness gained by the people. People living happily and contentedly without the need for material things that we think are so important to our lives.People living together, supporting one another and coming together and resolving issues in times of turmoil and grief.Look beyond the storyline and our own ideas of life and see that these 'primitive' people have so much to teach us 'civilised' ones, if we just take the time to stop and really look.

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

Tanna is a remote part of Australia, populated by indigenous people who are separated by years of what can be described a small scale civil war. What they share is a tradition of arranged marriage. After the killing of a respected elder, the chiefs have a meeting to stop the bloodshed. One part of the settlement is the exchange of young women, given as brides to the opposing tribe. This is where things go wrong quickly as the betrothed young lady, Wawa, has fallen in love with Dain, a young man in her village. The scenery is breathtaking, especially the shots of an active volcano, a sacred place to the villagers. The young couple decide to fight their elders wishes and hit the road; or forest, in this case, in an attempt to live happily after ever. What happens makes Tanna a truly universal story which translates to every society anywhere on earth. The leads have excellent chemistry and I was completely absorbed by the world of Wawa and Dain.

This is a love story set on Tanna, one of the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific off the coast of Qld. It is a contemporary story, not that it matters, little has changed in thousands of years for the traditional tribes living barely clad in the jungles. Dain, the Yakel chief's son, loves Wawa but she is promised to another by custom. The love marriage that the two want will surely lead to war between the tribes. What will the tribal chiefs do? Made by Australian film makers Martin Butler & Bentley Dean while living and working with the Yakel tribe, the result is a lushly beautiful, suspenseful and uniquely rewarding story. The island setting is cinematic with its active volcano, dense jungle, ash plains and sandy beaches. The untrained, brown-skinned actors bring both realism and natural charm to this mythic, Romeo & Juliet story imbued with traditional cultural elements. The medicine man plays the medicine man, Chief Charlie plays himself and Dain, the acknowledged most handsome was put forward to play the lead role.(Now on DVD)