told through the experiences of a young Afghan camel driver who falls in with an Australian gold robber, "The Furnace" weaves this unusual viewpoint into a standard Western narrative to compelling effect
MacKay's delicate compositions are so engrossing that "The Furnace" might have smoothed its rough edges with less talk, but there's enough depth to the central conflict to make "The Furnace" worthy of the cinematic traditions that inspired it
an intriguing first feature around an unexpected perspective in a film both troubling and illuminating; "The Furnace" balances genre elements with realistic intrigues favorably, bolstered by empathetic characterizations, specifically from Ahmed Malek
"The Furnace" is a handsomely mounted film of an ambitious scale for a first feature, and there's much to admire in its measured approach; Most of all, it holds your attention with its unfamiliar account of pioneer immigrant experience
by Nicholas Bell [IonCinema ]
