BLACK JACK: AT THE GATE

Australia, 2007, 100 minutes, Colour.
Colin Friels, Marta Dusseldorp, David Field, Sophie Lee, Robert Mammone, Tom Long, Rebecca Rigg, Libby Tanner.
Directed by Peter Andrikidis.

Black Jack: At the Gates is the sixth in a series of Channel Ten productions focusing on a detective, Jack Kempson, played by Colin Friels. Jack Kempson is in charge of cold cases and opening up investigations and solving them. Colin Friels is at home in this kind of role after his starring in the series Water Rats. Marta Dusseldorp, who appears in many of the films, is an engaging assistant. David Field is the obtuse police commander. There is an interesting supporting cast of character actors from Australian television. David Field has more to do in investigation and clashes with Jack. Sophie Lee is the DNA expert instead of the customary Doris Younane.

The film, as with a number in the series, was directed by Peter Andrikidis who has worked in television direction since the late 1970s.

1. The entertainment value of this kind of film? The series? Familiarity with the central characters?

2. The Sydney settings, the city itself, landscapes, buildings, streets? The interiors for the police precincts, shops, warehouses, garages? Authentic atmosphere? The score?

3. The team investigating: Jack Kempson in charge, a loner, abrupt, hard on Sam? Sam and her decision to work for the policer? Kavanagh as ambitious, obtuse, lacking imagination? Denise, forensic evidence. The superiors giving consent to Kempson to continue his investigations?

4. Jack, hard on himself, and Sam? Breaking into the house for Liz, on the ladder, breaking things? His interview with Sylvia? His presumptions about lives and the relationship? His broadmindedness? The awkwardness with Sylvia, her complaint Kavanagh? His asking Sam to take on surveillance? The visit of the wife, going to seek Tom in the church? Interviewing the babysitter on the station? Going to see Stephanie? Going to Michael’s home, talking to his son, in the garage? The surveillance on Michael? The list of people doing repairs, the connections? The interviews?

5. Sam, her work with Jack, his being hard on her, the request of the surveillance, her watching Stephanie, the lead to Michael? Back to the church? The interviews? Sympathy for the mother?

6. The opening, Lisa Tom, clash, his walking out, the babysitter, the baby upstairs, the intruder, the violence, fire? The rules? The funeral of the baby? And the irony, years later, of Jack and Sam opening the coffin and finding the bones? And the baby alive?

7. 11 years passing, Jack and his memories, this accident, physically, holding her hand, wishing her back to life? Liz, her crutches, independence, clash with Sylvia, the money, Jack offering the money, Sylvia’s pictures, his assmuptions about the relationship between Liz and Sylvia? Her reassuring her father?

8. The religious atmosphere, the church, the project, the couple together, Lisa singing, three children, the eldest of the questions about love for him and whether he would have been born had the baby not died?

9. Lisa, the visit to Jack, wanting the photo, the visits to the church, the discussions, Lisa and her wanting the baby? Discussions together, the revelation of the affairs, Michael and the possibility of being the baby’s father? His setting the fire and kidnapping the baby?

10. Jack’s story, relationship with Denise, staying over, the police seeing her, fear that she was pregnant, her age, Jack not a prospective father – and his answer that he raised Liz? exasperation with Jack, even with him at the DNA checks, the music, at the end, her smile?

11. Stephanie, ill, saying she didn’t know the family, the evidence boxes and her father’s hammer, the surveillance, Sam hearing the discussion in the shop, the discussions with Michael, the money? The threats to tell everything

12. Stephanie, abducting Luke, the gun, coming to the church, the revelations?

13. Everyone present, the truth, the DNA, Lisa and Tom being the parents of the child, the decision not to tell him – for his good?

14. Sam and Jack watching Lisa and Tom, thinking they should Luke tell the truth? Sam and Jack watching Lisa meet Luke? Jack’s confrontation with Michael, especially his motives? And the concealment for the protection of Luke?

15, The detective work, the leads, methods? And not revealing the truth and Kavanagh thinking, once again, they had wasted their time and resources?