Overrated and overhyped

Expected more

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

OK, but not great. Powerful subject, handled with the right degree of respect and gravity. Yet, it is missing something to make it truly interesting. Seems to drag, particularly in the early and middle stages, and, in some ways, feel like a documentary. Robert Connolly's direction often leaves a lot to be desired: odd/bad camera angles, unsteady tracking shots.Decent performances though, especially by Anthony LaPaglia as Roger East and Oscar Isaac as Jose Ramos-Horta.Worth watching for educational purposes, and to show the depths to which humans will sink, but don't watch it hoping for a great drama.

This movie is historically inaccurate and over exaggerated. Some facts about the real historical events:-The journalist Roger East was never cajoled out of his public service job by the young Fretilin foreign spokesman Jose Ramos Horta to work in East Timor, and nor did Ramos-Horta hand him an AUSTEO (Australian Eyes Only) dossier on the Balibo Five-East and Ramos-Horta never trekked on foot to Balibo, and nor were they attacked by a US helicopter along the way.-The Indonesians didn't attack up the hill in front of the Balibo fort, but from around the back of the village.-The senior commander of the Balibo operation for the Indonesian army, Colonel Dading Kalbuadi, didn't put a pistol to the head of the journalist Brian Peters and shoot him dead. He was 10 km away at the time.-East wasn't captured trying to send his last report from Dili's Marconi radio office.-And it's unlikely that General Benny Murdani, the Indonesian army intelligence chief, was observing the executions of East and Timorese people on the Dili wharf on 8 December, dressed in a white safari suit, though he did parachute into Dili some time that day.

Robert Connolly's Balibo is a compelling political thriller. It "is a true story" based on Jill Jolliffe's book, Cover-Up.It is in fact four stories:* The story of five Australian journalists who were murdered at Balibo by the Indonesian forces that invaded East Timor in 1975.* Of Roger East, an Australian journalist who sought the truth about their deaths.* Of Juliana who testifies as an adult to her experiences in Dili as an eight year old.* Of the spirit of the East Timorese people as embodied in their current President José Ramos Horta. Connolly and playwright David Williamson have constructed a script that has avoided potential pitfalls associated with layers of flashbacks. At times the pace faltered as the context or the suspense was being established.There is little attempt to present detailed characterisations of the Balibo 5. Damon Gameau as Greg Shackleton is the focus of the group. His re-enactment of Shackleton's famous TV report from the frontline is impressive. You can compare the two on the website. The rivalry between the Channel 9 and Channel 7 crews continues today, though in a less friendly way.Anthony LaPaglia gives a very convincing performance as Roger East. He has enough weight both figuratively and literally to carry off the role of a seedy, disillusioned journo.Oscar Isaac manages the difficult job of the young José Ramos Horta. Fortunately he does not try imitating this distinctive and well-known personality.Gyton Grantley (Gary Cunningham), Nathan Phillips (Malcolm Rennie), Mark Winter (Tony Stewart) and Thomas Wright (Brian Peters) show the depth of Australian acting talent. As does Simon Stone as ABC journalist Tony Maniaty.The East Timorese cast are exceptional. Anamaria Barreto meets the high expectations of child actors these days as young Juliana. Her parents are Timorese and she lives in Darwin. Bea Viegas gives an intense, moving portrayal of the adult Juliana. Osme Gonsalves also impresses as Ximenes, a Fretlin soldier. It is difficult to find out the names of many of the actors as they are not listed on the website or IMDb.The film raises many questions about the political responsibility for what happened and the need for justice to be done. This is a dark part of both Indonesian and Australian history. It does not attempt any definitive answers. That would be another movie. The historical background is analysed in depth and can be accessed through the official website.Balibo works very effectively as both a political statement and a personal drama.See it!Cinema Takes: http://cinematakes.blogspot.com/

As someone with a long-standing interest in the history of East Timor, I had mixed feelings about this film, and how the people and events would be depicted. However, Robert Connolly did a great job, considering all of the constraints of a limited budget that he had. It did not go into minute detail about the historical events, but nor did it dumb down and sex up.What happened to the Balibo Five and Roger East is only a very small fraction of the story of what happened in East Timor in 1975, and there will be accusations that the deaths of half a dozen Westerners are given more prominence than what happened to a far greater number of East Timorese. However, the East Timorese actors in the film, none of whom were professional actors, were tremendous - not least as they were reenacting events that they and their families were familiar with.