7.5
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Drama, Mystery, Fantasy • 1977 • 106 min • Older Kids (7+)
The Last Wave (1977)
The Last Wave (1977)
Overview
The Last Wave, a 1977 Australian drama directed by Peter Weir, follows a lawyer who becomes entangled in an Aboriginal trial involving a ritualistic murder. As he uncovers ancient prophecies and environmental warnings, the film leans into progressive themes by celebrating Indigenous spiritual wisdom and challenging Western legal systems. It subtly critiques rationalism and elevates traditional ecological knowledge while maintaining a neutral tone on other cultural issues like religion and gender roles.
Starring Cast
Richard Chamberlain • Olivia Hamnett • David Gulpilil
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Viewer Rating
7.5
Overview
The Last Wave, a 1977 Australian drama directed by Peter Weir, follows a lawyer who becomes entangled in an Aboriginal trial involving a ritualistic murder. As he uncovers ancient prophecies and environmental warnings, the film leans into progressive themes by celebrating Indigenous spiritual wisdom and challenging Western legal systems. It subtly critiques rationalism and elevates traditional ecological knowledge while maintaining a neutral tone on other cultural issues like religion and gender roles.
Starring Cast
Richard Chamberlain • Olivia Hamnett • David Gulpilil
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
Political: Leans Left
Confidence: High
The film's dominant themes align with left-leaning values by validating indigenous spiritual knowledge and connection to the land, while implicitly critiquing the limitations of Western rationalism and legal systems in understanding an impending environmental catastrophe.
Diversity: Moderate
Confidence: High
The film prominently features Indigenous Australian characters and culture, which are central to its narrative and spiritual themes. While the lead is a white male, the story subtly explores the limitations of Western rationalism when confronted with ancient Indigenous knowledge, without explicitly portraying traditional identities negatively.
Secondary
Family Values: Leans Traditional
Confidence: Medium
The film portrays a traditional nuclear family structure for the protagonist, with conventional gender roles and a stable marriage, which is presented without critique. It also features a strong depiction of an indigenous community where elders, tradition, and communal bonds are highly respected, aligning with multigenerational family values.
LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High
The Last Wave (1977) does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative is centered on a supernatural mystery involving Aboriginal culture, prophecy, and the impending destruction of the world by a massive wave. The film's focus remains entirely on these elements, with no depiction of queer identities or experiences.
Trans: N/A
Confidence: High
The Last Wave does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative centers on a lawyer's descent into an ancient Aboriginal prophecy concerning an impending environmental catastrophe, with no elements related to transsexual identity present in the plot or character arcs.
Female Combat: N/R
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High
The Last Wave (1977) is an original film with characters created specifically for its narrative. There are no pre-existing source materials, historical figures, or prior adaptations from which characters' genders could have been established and subsequently altered.
Race Swap: No
Confidence: High
The Last Wave is an original screenplay, not an adaptation of existing material with pre-established character races. All characters were created for this film, and their on-screen portrayals align with their original conception.
Hinduism: N/A
Confidence: High
Not depicted in the film.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
6.9
6.7
Critic Ratings
7.8
8.5
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