Every now and then, a person -- more often than not, a youth -- gets fed up with the mundane existence of civilization and seeks to find their roots and awaken a spiritual cleansing in the wilderness. Unfortunately, there are many instances of such experiences ending tragically. The stories of Timothy Treadwell and Christopher McCandless are prime examples, emphasized by the films depicting their final days. But in the end, it isn't about how they died, but rather, how they lived.
Even though her journey does not end in heartbreaking sorrow, it almost comes off as the endgame for Robyn Davidson, the young adventuress depicted in John Curran's latest film, Tracks. Played with no-nonsense, salt-of-the-earth wisdom by Mia Wasikowska, Robyn's ambition is to follow her father's footsteps and trek across 2,000 miles of Australian desert. Where Treadwell sought to connect with the animals he so loved and McCandless attempted to discover his own identity, Robyn sets off on her journey for no reason other than the hell of it. She first shows up in a middle-of-nowhere town called Alice Springs, seeking to procure some of Australia's feral camels for her journey. She spends the better part of a year learning to train the beasts, showcasing just how focused she is on her goal.
Lighting out for the territories is a common feeling we've all shared at one moment or another, and Wasikowska -- who has always come off as a very sheltered soul -- epitomizes the sort of loner that would seek to go out on such an excursion. She insists on setting out alone for the majority of it, with no radio or a weapon. The only human contact she intends to have will be scattered checkpoint stops with an American photojournalist chronicling the expedition (Adam Driver), and even then, she has no real desire to even do that. "You wanna die out there or somethin'?" one character asks her, and she all but acknowledges this as her ultimate goal.
Director John Curran emphasizes the feeling of forced loneliness in this film. Wasikowska's Robyn steadily severs ties with any and all people she comes across in her journey. Her desire to be truly alone is made abundantly clear, especially in regards to the barren isolation of the Australian outback. However, I think that Curran's film feels a bit too intimate and not nearly as sparse as the subject matter would require. There is a wonderful moment where Robyn stumbles onto a homestead, almost like an alien, not reacting to the farmer's words of welcome. In her wanderings, it's almost like Robyn had forgotten the basic rules of human interaction. Shame that this wasn't further explored.
Indeed, Tracks does seem to meander with no real compass or, indeed, idea of why or where it's going. In this regard, it's like its protagonist. However, Robyn's journey ends in some small triumph. This film ends on a more worrisome "what was the point?" note.
