Wonderful character development!

Good start, but then it gets ruined

It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

David Gulpilil...so yeah watch it. Even if David was just reading the phone book for two hours you should still watch David Gulpilil whenever he is on screen. De Heer's film is watchable, but he has made much stronger films. The Tracker is nothing great (though there is nothing necessarily wrong with it), other than David Gulpilil. I am not saying he is the greatest of all actors, but there is not another actor/performer that I can think of from any time period, from anywhere in the world that is as natural, charismatic, mystifying and magnetic on screen as David Gulpilil.

This is one of the great Australian films from one it's most interesting film makers. The story telling is concise. Not a frame is wasted. Gulpilil is simply brilliant as The Tracker and Garry Sweet delivers his best ever performance as The Fanatic. The landscape and music performed by Archie Roach are superbly integrated into the drama. The use of paintings to convey the confronting violence is pure genius. The sense of place is palpable and the commentary on the cultural impacts of colonialism on indigenous peoples is starkly direct without being preachy. Above all, it's a crackin' tale effectively delivered by a ensemble at the top of their game.

This film just oozes 'Australia'. It excels on several levels - the storyline itself, a great suspense thriller in its own right - the commentary on the treatment of the indigenous peoples at the hands of the whites - and finally, but certainly not least, the incredible natural beauty of the Australian outback. Intertwined in this is a fabulous sparse dialogue at ofttimes delivered with biting humour. David Gulpilil is nothing short of a national treasure - you won't see better than this anywhere, period! Gary Sweet needs no introduction and is, as always, brilliant. Damon Gameau gives an truly outstanding performance as the 'wet behind the ears' new recruit. The soundtrack features many haunting songs by Aboriginal singer Archie Roach - some may find it a little harsh and invasive at times. It would certainly be interesting to experience this movie with nothing but the sounds of the Australian bush. Without any doubt one of the best best Australian movies ever made!

As far as Western films go, the Tracker is nothing groundbreaking or particularly accomplished. I'd compare it to Anthony Mann's Naked Spur, another beautiful looking wilderness bounty-hunter film with a primary interest in psychological tension between morally ambiguous characters. Like Naked Spur, there is a trickster figure, an innocent, a veteran trailblazer, and a sadistic military figure. There is plenty of intrigue between characters as new situations arise, but The Tracker lacks the complexity of the screenplay thanks to the director's political heavy-handedness. Gary Sweet's character is not convincing or particularly well developed, as his simplistically evil nature makes him highly predictable and almost comedic. While I enjoyed the music on its own merits, I agree with another commenter that it leaves little room for the viewer to come to his own conclusions about the characters.On the other hand, there are some great moments, such as the Tracker's improvised trial of the Fanatic, which causes one question how capital punishment becomes perceived as legitimate. The Tracker's adoption of white traditions and religious rites causes us to view him differently than we would otherwise. The circumstances of the Fanatic's dependence upon the Tracker and the Tracker's dependence upon the mercy of the Fanatic create an intrigue that is again reminiscent of the Naked Spur. Aided by the beautiful scenery of the outback, the cinematography is very nice, and the editing is distinctive as the film maintains a slower pace with spacious musical and visual interludes that are sometimes kitschy but occasionally effective. Overall, this was I film that I thoroughly enjoyed, even if the screenplay wasn't as powerful as I had hoped.