SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Baseshment
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
Jonah Abbott
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
backwardsiris
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.
Kirpianuscus
the poetry of image. the simplicity of story. the new version of Romeo and Juliet tragedy. the tradition, war and need of piece. spectacular for the wise, admirable manner to remind old truths. for the science to explore habits, places, vulnerabilities and the essence of life from a small community looking for save its fundamental values. a fragile, delicate, profound impressive story. about the life. about love. about fights and gods and rules and need to conquer the peace. a poem more than a film. touching in deep sense. because, in fact, it is a film for memory.
billcr12
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.
euroGary
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?
