Blaze * * *

Near the beginning of this film we see a brutal rape and murder scene.  It doesn't pull punches.

A young girl - Blaze - is unfortunate enough to witnesses the event. She had been distracted by recovering the husk of a beetle, putting her in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

The beetle will go on to have it's own starring role and become the inspiration behind the bombardment of imagery, montages and dream sequences that are to follow as Blaze goes into a  post traumatic-state of mind.  

She lives in a single-parent household with her very caring Dad. He pretty soon catches on that something is not right with Blaze. Sleeping in her clothes and wetting the bed are all a bit of a giveaway.

Cut to the Cop Shop. The police appreciate her help. The prosecution mounts its case. Blaze has to see the child-psychiatrist that works with the prosecution. She's not the most professional of psychiatrists to say the least; but we get the impression she's ham-strung by procedure.

She goes to court. All she can really say is "I know what I saw".  The defense attorney makes mincemeat of her. At this stage the film dishes up a bit of a horror scene from her imagination, and Blaze gives the defendant a fiery blast.  But in reality he walks free.

Blaze and her own little Puff 

Later Blaze gets on online and starts researching the woman she saw raped and murdered and the bloke who did it.   She also starts to relate more and more to the shelf full of caricature animals she has in her bedroom. Then there is the dragon that has sprung from her imagination.  It's not very real looking. It looks like it's made up of feathers and bits of material from a Spotlight Store. In fact it's kind of funny. Regrettably there is a tone about this film which does not invite you to  giggle.  

Life goes on for Blaze but she is undoubtedly affected by what she has seen. We see her hanging out with her best friend, going to her judo lessons, but also behaving so erratically she ends up spending  time in a hospital for kids who are not in a good way - mentally. I won't spoil it by telling you the outcome. 

Sometimes I think this film would have been better without the relentless visions showing the inside of Blaze's head.  Being covered in gunk on the beach, getting model kangaroos to tongue kiss, montages, of eyes upon eyes, falling into some abyss, oversized hands, which looked like novelty balloons, (but I think they are supposed to - at least, I hope so!).  Then there is Blaze hanging out with Hannah the victim in some church where a funny looking dragon gives birth. Yeah, I know it's all about Blaze processing things but there is so much of it, I found it more irritating and distracting than informative.

Crimes like murder and rape have been in a million movies. It's a dramatic device. But for some reason Blaze wants to use the device to tell the story then turn it into an opportunity to preach. It's like it's entertained us and then told us off for being entertained.  "You do realise this stuff really happens!", it tells us at the end, whilst throwing up statistics on the many women who are violently abused in Australia each year. It's a shame it does that, because it comes across as lacking the confidence that a  message abides within the context of the story. 

Blaze is written and directed by artist Del Kathryn Barton. For all it's flaws I'd rather an adventurous film like this than another insufferably dull Aussie Drama.  Kudos to her for marching to the beat of her own drum.