High Ground

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High Ground

2021,

1h 44m,

Adventure/

Drama

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90%

41 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

50+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

41 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Travis never thought he would cross paths again with Australian indigenous Gutjuk, when he saved the life of this young child from the killings of the white men. Back from First World War, ex-sniper Travis recruits Gutjuk, now 19, to track down his uncle, the leader of the Aboriginal mob that terrifies the Territory. Travis has no choice but to trust the young Aboriginal and teach him to survive, while Gutjuk must take his life in his hands if he wants to find his place in between the white men and the Aborigines.

Critics Consensus

A gripping action story as well as sobering commentary on colonialism, High Ground is a vividly engrossing attempt to grapple with Australian history.

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David Stratton

The Australian

Dec 3, 2021

4/5

The ravishing cinematography by Andrew Commis explores the wild and rugged landscapes of Kakadu and Arnhem Land against which a powerful story of white privilege and aboriginal dispossession unfolds.

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Roxana Hadadi

RogerEbert.com

May 14, 2021

2.5/4

Between its evocative ensemble, fluid editing, and interest in Aboriginal culture, High Ground is worth a watch, even if it ultimately feels overshadowed by the message it's trying to send rather than being defined by the story it actually tells.

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Glenn Kenny

New York Times

May 13, 2021

This movie makes a solid case as both a statement and an action picture.

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Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

Sep 19, 2025

B

We’re not sure who to root for; nor does there seem to be any easy answer to the long-simmering hatreds on display. But I found myself unexpectedly moved by the film’s brutal yet inescapable conclusion.

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Jane Freebury

The Canberra Times (Australia)

Aug 23, 2022

5/5

A superb Outback western.

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John Serba

Decider

Dec 3, 2021

High Ground is far from perfect. But it also isn't content to adhere to genre trappings; its thematic ambition and visual dynamic makes it worth a watch.

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Stephen Johnson

Director

Jacob Junior Nayinggul

Gutjuk

Simon Baker

Travis

Callan Mulvey

Eddy

Aaron Pedersen

Walter

Ryan Corr

Braddock

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High Ground: Trailer 1

1:47

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Synopsis

Travis never thought he would cross paths again with Australian indigenous Gutjuk, when he saved the life of this young child from the killings of the white men. Back from First World War, ex-sniper Travis recruits Gutjuk, now 19, to track down his uncle, the leader of the Aboriginal mob that terrifies the Territory. Travis has no choice but to trust the young Aboriginal and teach him to survive, while Gutjuk must take his life in his hands if he wants to find his place in between the white men and the Aborigines.

Director: Stephen Johnson
Producer: David Jowsey, Maggie Miles, Greer Simpkin, Witiyana Marika
Screenwriter: Chris Anastassiades
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co: Bunya Productions, Maxo, Savage Films
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: Australian English
Release Date (Theaters): May 14, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 14, 2021
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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