Escape and Evasion (2019) – A Haunting Journey Through War and Guilt
Escape and Evasion is a 2019 Australian war thriller directed by Storm Ashwood. The film tells a harrowing and emotionally charged story that blends the psychological aftermath of war with the mystery of a mission gone wrong. This is not a conventional action film. Instead, it’s a haunting character study of trauma, guilt, and the personal cost of survival.
The story centers on Seth, the lone survivor of a failed mission in Myanmar. Haunted by flashbacks and plagued by nightmares, he returns home to a quiet, broken life. His silence about what happened overseas begins to unravel when the sister of one of his fallen comrades demands answers. As she digs deeper, the truth about the mission — and Seth’s role in it — begins to surface.
What sets Escape and Evasion apart is its refusal to glorify war. Instead, it focuses on the emotional and psychological wounds that linger long after the bullets have stopped flying. Josh McConville delivers a raw and vulnerable performance as Seth, portraying a man who is collapsing under the weight of his own secrets. The film moves with a slow, tense rhythm, building an atmosphere of dread that mirrors the protagonist’s inner turmoil.
Visually, the film contrasts the lush, dangerous beauty of the jungle with the cold sterility of civilian life. This contrast reinforces the central theme — that some battles don’t end on the battlefield.
Escape and Evasion is a quiet storm of a film. It doesn’t rely on spectacle but instead digs into the scars left by violence and the burden of survival. It's a grim, introspective thriller that lingers in the mind long after the screen fades to black.
