“The Stranger” is a crime thriller with a psychological touch, produced in Australia by Thomas M. Wright and released internationally by Netflix on October 19, 2022. The story of the film is based on the investigation carried out by the police on the disappearance of Daniel Morcombe in 2003, which was written by Kate Kyriacou. The film has a non-linear storyline which will keep the viewers on the edge of their seat.
The lead protagonist of the film, Henry Teague, is given an opportunity by Mark to help the police uncover drug trafficking. Soon, the two become close friends. Mark introduces Henry to the criminal syndicate and to the authorities, so that he knows his role in this secret operation. But Henry is not aware of Mark’s secret agenda.
The movie starts by introducing the viewers to Henry Teague, who meets Paul Emery on a bus during his journey to his hometown. After a stimulating conversation, Paul, who is an undercover cop, offers Henry to join him in his mission. As long as they are not involved in any violence, Henry agrees to Paul’s offer.
After a few days, Paul introduces Henry to Mark, who is also a cop in plainclothes. Since Paul has been reassigned to another case, Henry is now accompanied by Mark in his mission. Mark takes Henry straight to the criminal syndicate’s headquarters where he works. Mark emphasizes to Henry to be honest about his past, especially his criminal record.
Henry tells Mark that he has been to jail a few times, but only for minor offenses, not major crimes. Then, Henry is taken to the secret police headquarters that monitors their mission and is introduced to all his colleagues. Henry is then given a new identity and a new passport to dive into this secret mission.
Mark and Henry then start doing drug transactions every day. They also erase Paul’s tracks from the criminal syndicate by following the scenario of their unit. John, the head of the secret mission center, comes to meet Henry. His tough nature initially intimidates Henry.
One day when Mark was supposed to pick up Henry from his house, Henry was not there. Mark immediately reported Henry missing, making everyone in the mission panic. It turned out that Henry bought an airplane on the runway for drug delivery with the profits they earned. After Mark found Henry, one of the police officers gave him a summons for the Queensland court. Henry thought that his last case was over, but there was new evidence discovered. Mark was a little annoyed to see Henry not being honest with him.
Mark then takes Henry to a hotel where John wants to meet them. They enter the room in a tense situation. John emphasizes that the case Henry is facing could affect the secret mission they are working on, but he can help if Henry is willing to be honest with him about his case.
The story of the film takes a dark turn as we try to understand Mark’s real intentions regarding Henry. The viewers will be taken on a roller-coaster ride of suspense and mystery as they try to uncover the biggest murder case in Australian history.
Unveiling the Toughest Murder Case in Australia
Initially, viewers might think that “The Stranger” is just another crime thriller. However, as we follow Mark’s journey in guiding Henry in his daily mission, we understand that Mark has other agendas related to Henry. Mark is assigned to lure Henry into a trap to get a confession from him.
Interestingly, the storyline of the film is inspired by the largest murder investigation ever undertaken by the Australian police. Daniel Morcombe, a 13-year-old boy, was brutally murdered after he went missing in 2003. The police investigated the case for eight years before finally apprehending his killer in 2011. In the film, the killer is portrayed as Brett Peter Cowan, who was arrested but not prosecuted due to lack of evidence. The police then conducted a secret mission that led Brett into a staged criminal drama, which ultimately made him confess to his crime.
The secret mission of the police is only revealed when Mark loses track of Henry momentarily. His support team quickly gathers and devises their next strategy to complete the mission before losing Henry again. It turns out that Mark is not a police officer working undercover to uncover the drug syndicate, but he is actually working to trap Henry.
The movie culminates with a thrilling ending, as the viewers try to unravel the mysteries surrounding Mark and Henry’s relationship. The acting performances of the lead actors, Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Jada Alberts, Cormac Wright, and Steve Mouzakis, are top-notch.
In conclusion, “The Stranger” is a perfect blend of crime, drama, investigation, police procedural, psychological thriller, and suspense. The film lives up to its expectations by keeping the viewers on the edge of their seat till the end. With an intriguing storyline, strong performances, and excellent direction, “The Stranger” is a must-watch for all crime-thriller film enthusiasts.
