The Outlaw Michael Howe is a 2013 Australian Western directed by Brendan Cowell.
Damon Herriman portrays a young bushranger who leads a rebellion against the British during the 1820s. Opposing him are Magistrate Knopwood (Matt Day), Governor Davey (Darren Gilshenan), and the British military.
The movie contains examples of following tropes:
- Big Bad: Peter Septon, corrupt governor of Van Diemen's Land.
- Disc-One Final Boss: At first the head of the operation to bring Michael down is Lieutenant Governor Tom Davey, but he's portrayed as a drunken lout from the beginning and his boss Peter Septon fires him and takes over in the last third of the film.
- Downer Ending: Howe is sold out by the last holdout in his gang and beaten to death by bounty hunters.
- The Empire: Britain was at the height of its empire days when the film is set.
- Expy: Herriman's characterisation of Howe was inspired by the earlier Ned Kelly movie, and by Clint Eastwood's portrayal of The Outlaw Josey Wales.
- The Hero Dies: Howe is beaten to death by the British troops, and his head taken as a trophy.
- Meatgrinder Surgery: In an early scene, the leg of a convict is amputated by a Frontier Doctor making a Life-or-Limb Decision.
- Protagonist Title: The Outlaw Michael Howe.
- Regency England: Played with. Although the wealthy officials live in luxury, the convicts are treated like slaves.
- The Revolution Will Not Be Vilified: Howe is portrayed as the idealistic underdog, and the British are brutal colonialist oppressors.
- Role Called: The Outlaw Michael Howe.
- Wardens Are Evil: As is standard in Aussie Westerns, the bored prison guards abuse and brutalise the convicts.
- The Western: Howe and his bandits are similar to Mexico's Zapatistas, and the British authorities represent the corrupt federal government.
- You All Meet in a Cell: Howe and his original gang members were all imprisoned at Sarah Island.
Official website: http://in-films.com/the-outlaw-michael-howe/
IMDB entry: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1961580/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
