Keifer Sutherland’s Understated Role in River Queen
Keifer Sutherland’s role in the 2005 film, “River Queen” as Private Doyle, a weary soldier to whom Sarah (Samantha Morton) turns to in search of her son who has gone missing has us watching a young, boisterous film star play a more sedate, background role, perhaps leaving us with a feeling that Sutherland has done a good job maturing. The setting is in New Zealand, plunging the characters and us the audience into the historical Titokowaru War between the Mori and New Zealand colonial forces in 1868.
Sutherland reveals to us the degree to which he has, and is in this film, a free thinker who does not run away from challenges. During a 1997 film he was cast in, he so enjoyed his time in New Zealand that he considered making his home there, and anticipated blending in with locals to truly take on their culture and customs. Sutherland welcomed the opportunity to return in this role, assuring director Vincent Ward of working with a top notch crew. Though Sutherland’s role was not a major figure in the plot, his acting was a bright light in this perhaps miscast and somewhat ill-reviewed film. Sutherland’s Irish barogue was just passable, but did not matter to many movie buffs according to reviews of the actor’s performance. His progress since his”Bad Boys” era is pleasantly received.
The cast includes: Samantha Morton as Sarah O’Brian, Kiefer Sutherland as Doyle, Cliff Curtis as Wiremu, Anton Lesser as Major Baine, and Temuera Morrison as Te Kai Po
Director Vincent Ward was replaced by cinematographer Alun Bollinger, then rehired just weeks later for six months of editing and additional shooting. Awards for the movie “River Queen” include: Best Artistic Achievements Award, Best Achievement in Cinematography, and Best Achievement in Costume Design by New Zealand award standards.