Mysterious story based on a novel carries the same name which written by Joan Lindsay in 1967. Following three schoolgirls and their governesses who during their outing to Hanging Rock, exposed to a mysterious disappearance.
[Natalie] Dormer is the best thing about "Picnic at Hanging Rock..." But she's not the only worthwhile aspect of the miniseries, even if the story may be a bit overextended at six hours.
The story centers around the mysterious disappearances of three schoolgirls and one teacher on Valentine's Day in 1900 and the subsequent investigation, covering its impact on students, families and staff.
Directors Larysa Kondracki, Amanda Brotchie, and Michael Rymer twist this low-budget epic into an eye-popping, surreal mystery with complex characters and consummate camp.
Beatrix Christian's narrative is complex, articulate and a work of some philosophical depth...It's filmed in such a provocative, highly conceptual way.
Sadly, this feels unlikely to be a Handmaid's Tale-level hit for Amazon, for while it's solid enough to warrant a look, it's also a bit too inconsistent and bloated to rise above the crowd.
The magic of Picnic at Hanging Rock lies in the not knowing, a sort of withheld resolution that nudged other open-ended stories, such as Twin Peaks, from works of art to genuine masterpieces.
With its convoluted plot, flights of fantasy and a pacing that speeds up and slows down unexpectedly, "Picnic" may frustrate some viewers...[but] it's something different, and perfect for a hot summer night of streaming.
If Weir's film was a romantic, surreal, shimmering mystery-Twin Peaks by way of John Keats-the new Hanging Rock is a more Gothic work of horror, revealing the rot that permeates the blooms of the Victorian bouquet.
