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Australia (2008)

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Time Out rating

Average user rating

47 reviews

Synopsis

Baz Luhrmann attempts to deliver Australia's answer to Gone with the Wind, a sweeping romance set in the years leading up to World War II.

Movie review

From Time Out London

Hoity-toity Englishwoman Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) doesn’t believe for a moment that her husband is in Australia selling his cattle station; he’s off shagging Sheilas, she reckons, so even though it’s 1939 and she’s far too genteel to go bucketing around the world alone, she crosses the globe to bring him home – more out of irritation than any obvious romantic impulse.
She doesn’t find him – or not alive, anyway. But she does discover a vast land full of kangaroos, magical half-Aboriginal children and empire-building cattle barons. Oh, and there’s some bloke called The Drover (Hugh Jackman) who thinks she’s a nuisance but agrees to herd her cattle across the Northern Territory anyway, with a motley crew including a drunken accountant and Lady Sarah herself.

It’s a fine romp, epic in both ambition and visuals if not narrative – and if director Baz Luhrmann had stopped at the end of the love story’s trajectory, the audience would have left entirely happy. But he carries on, into war, the Japanese bombing of Darwin and other, less credible villainy, and it becomes clear that beneath his camp sensibility beats a conscientious heart, keen to bring the plight of the Stolen Generations – Aboriginals parted from their families – to a wider audience. It’s a laudable aim, but exploring the issue here is as ludicrous as expecting viewers of ‘Gone with the Wind’ to worry about slavery. View this as Outback candyfloss and you’ll have a grand time – it’s terribly entertaining f too long, and its release date is perfect since it’s as camp as Christmas. But ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’ it ain’t. (Nina Caplan)

Author: Nina Caplan 2008-12-16 11:45:06

Time Out London Issue 2000/2001, Dec 18-31, 2008\

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User reviews of this film

jane said...

Posted on Mar 15 2009 23:51 utter crap - cardboard cutout of characters and rubbish storyline. It does a disservice to the country bearing its name.

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gemma said...

Posted on Feb 11 2009 16:57 I watched this film a few months ago and to be honest, i found it really boring and depressing!! As far as i'm concerned there are far better film's out there than this one! Spend your money on another film i say!!

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Maria said...

Posted on Feb 05 2009 14:23 This film was the best I have seen for ages. It had everything I like in a film, great actors, magnificent scenery, suspense, action and romance. Little Nullah was brilliant and the way the whole film was put together was riveting. How anyone can say it was rubbish is beyind me. Films should be entertaining and it was as well as thought provoking. All in all an excellent visit to the cinema.

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Harun said...

Posted on Feb 01 2009 15:28 the little boy Brandon stolen the heart of Australia. it was extra ordinary talent's, the star of the film little ...Nullah.

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alex dowden said...

Posted on Jan 30 2009 15:40 It had its moments,the best of which was when the credits started rolling.

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rifka said...

Posted on Jan 26 2009 14:35 This film was so good it made me cry:) I think people are a bit too pessimistic about films. As i still maintain i reckon that people who moan about films like this are just jelous of something, could be the fact that they have boring jobs and arent millionaire directors, or actors or anything interesting at all:) I loved the film, i love Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman and the little boy was adorable and a great actor for some one so young. The scenes were compelling, a mixture of emotions created all in one film:)

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alex said...

Posted on Jan 24 2009 11:35 I really enjoyed it and it definately represented value for money. It is not too long!

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steve said...

Posted on Jan 22 2009 18:56 worst film i've seen in the last 10 yrs, if i hadn't had my mother with me i'd have walked out

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Trish said...

Posted on Jan 22 2009 13:10 I went to see this film with an open mind, and was pleasently surprised! This film had all you want to entertain you in a film, the cgi was good, the story was easy to follow, the acting was good(especially by the little boy), comedy, and suspense, and of course hugh jackmans lovely body on show! Will be buying the dvd when it comes out.

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Helen said...

Posted on Jan 20 2009 11:52 Fantastic film - really enjoyed it! Very moving storyline. Hugh Jackman is gorgeous - and what a body! Brandon Walters who plays the little boy is a fantastic actor - very impressed

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bethan said...

Posted on Jan 18 2009 18:12 i left the film feeling nothing...which is not a good response after watching a romantic 'epic' seeing as i am usually very emotional responsive to those types of films. the little boy who acted in the film was incredible, absolutley amazing actor and i think the film would have been entirely forgettable without him. i felt that nicole kidman acted well and she was quite funny however her comedic acting clashed with the film terribly. her charcater was completely stereotyped and cliche at the beginning, cringeably so.it just took away from the point of the film. i wanted to feel emotionally moved and her character stopped me from apprecaiting the films beauty and heart renching story. i think the best part of the film was when i thought it had ended...and then i had to sit through nearly 2 hours off excess rubbish.it seemed baz got bored and tried to fit all the content into the film in a rush. too many stories and too many events resulted in what felt like a tennis match with my feelings being the ball! i was very disappointed with the film as i love a tear jerker and was assured this would be one, i felt so desperate at the end i actually tried to squeeze a few tears out.mmm havnt thought about the film since i saw it aswell which is not a good sign.

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Babs said...

Posted on Jan 15 2009 20:24 It was a great evening, Hugh Jackman was Gorgeous, the scenery was breathtaking, The film gave me information that I did not know about Darwin. I thoughly enjoyed the film, please make up your own mind as it would be a shame to miss it.

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Hilary said...

Posted on Jan 15 2009 15:24 Thoroughly enjoyed the film from start to finish. I went to be entertained and whether or not, its historically accurate, it ticked all the right boxes.

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Simon said...

Posted on Jan 15 2009 14:10 Desparate rubbish from start to finish. Cliche-ridden pap of the worst kind. For those who find escapism exciting and think people like me are 'up themselves' - go watch Big Brother or Celebrity Come Dancing - that should really light your gas. Film was unstructured, rambling, pointless, cliche-ridden and relentlessly disappointing. Apart from that I enjoyed it!

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KL said...

Posted on Jan 14 2009 18:44 A huge disappointment, this cliche'-ridden film packed with nausea-making camera moves and nauseating sentimentality goes on .. and on... and on .... I found it visually uninspiring apart from some brilliant costume design, matched by beautifully-observed characteristations from many supporting actors. As a big fan of "The Rabbit-Proof Fence" I found its treatment of the Stolen Generations issue offensive; and if some people (not me) thought that Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King had too many endings, this beats it hands down, and with infinitely less justification. Speaking of LoR, my bouquet goes to David Wenham (with another to his make-up artist) who showed his true quality as an actor by playing with equal subtlety a villain as far removed from the herioc Faramir of Gondor as you could possibly get.

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