The Proposition (2005)

Unfathomably violent and utterly grim from beginning to end. But the film is shot and acted magnificently. A true to form, revenge fantasy, and the revenge is bloody as hell. It turns the hero journey of the western on it's head, as you fight to understand which person is the real bad guy in Australia's worst of times. Is Charlie Burns a ruthless thug, or a misunderstood Irishman, and will he bring his disgusting rapist of a brother to justice? Is Capt. Stanley an old tyrant or a man trying to protect his town? The line is blurred thanks to the overwhelming amount of senseless violence that each character engages in, including one intensely vile lashing at the expense of kidnapped Mike Burns. This is in no way an easy film to watch, but it brilliantly captures the savagery of the 19th century Australian outback.