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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

Richard said...

Posted on Jan 14 2009 16:58 i tought i was brilliant its a must see film

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Tea.coffee? said...

Posted on Jan 13 2009 00:33 Disappointing. Film tries really hard to be epic and moving, and this it does but only from the numerous sweeping scenery shots. The story itself is just predictable fluff where you can pretty much guess the outcome of the characters within the 1st 10mins. Shame, I expected more from Baz Luhrmann.

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Clive said...

Posted on Jan 11 2009 18:13 Predictable script, dodgy CGI, hisorically inaccurate, clioches by the boat load and disjionted landscapes (those hho have visited the N Territory will know). Having said that still entertaining.

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Elizabeth said...

Posted on Jan 10 2009 12:39 A superb film with all the right ingredients. It has persuaded me to look into taking the Ghan train next year!

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Paul said...

Posted on Jan 09 2009 17:29 The length of this film didn't bother me so much as its incoherence. It is variously a tale of ruthless business rivalry (cattle trading), a romance (blatantly based on 'Gone With the Wind'), a war film and a lament for the 'stolen generations'. This last point, judging by the background information at the beginning and end, is meant to be central. It only truly becomes so, however, towards the end - and I thought the use of Elgar's 'Nimrod' as background music was appallingly sentimental (not Elgar's fault). This theme is at its strongest , though, when set against events in WW II. I would say the cattle-trading theme was the most powerful and dramatic. But, like the others, it gets blurred. A 'villain' emerges from it -Neil Fletcher - but we lose sight of him, and he is despatched very routinely. The 'romance' element also seems very routine and mechanical. Admittedly, I was expecting an epic about the history of Australia - but the title could well give people that preconception: 'Northern Territory' would be far more appropriate, if less appealing. Positively, the film is very well shot and, I think, acted. A 'curate's egg'.

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suzie said...

Posted on Jan 09 2009 14:11 Really enjoyed this film, I didn't mind the unashamed romance and felt that credit is due to Baz and a team of film making pros who have crafted something with spectacle. Didn't find it too long - not as indulgeant as Lord of the Rings etc yawn panning of children's faces. I have seen Rabbit Proof Fence and I am a fan or the harder hitting art house movies (Scent of Green Papaya) but I found this had greater warmth and has alot to offer a 21st C audience. No formal marriage but lasting love and the adoption of a rejected child without the formality of adoption for e.g. I enjoyed seeing Hugh Jackman play a leading role I think he has been overlooked, why does everyone cast Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise etc etc. Anyway make up your own minds and don't be put off by mediocre reviews of a film by someone like Baz Luhrmann who is always honing his craft and has something different to offer :>

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Tom McMaster said...

Posted on Jan 05 2009 20:33 Wonderful, magnificent, must see film!

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strannik said...

Posted on Jan 04 2009 00:28 Great movie, beautiful landscapes and amazing acting!!

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m.b said...

Posted on Jan 02 2009 23:51 This film was beautiful,touching and heartfelt,was right up there! fantastic..and the little guy was gorgeous! great acting,

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kelv said...

Posted on Jan 02 2009 18:39 What sort of cheese was it? cos some cheese can be nicer than others!

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Claire said...

Posted on Jan 02 2009 18:39 Husband and I went to see this film to round off Christmas. Both found it well worth seeing. Agree that it really is two films and is a bit long but we were held by the vastness of scenery, the music, the stampede, the horsemanship. Again neither of us knew anything about the attack on Darwin. Go and see it and make up your own mind. By the way we are both "Seniors"

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HC said...

Posted on Jan 02 2009 17:54 One word to sum it up - cheese. If you like cheese, you'll love it. Otherwise its just a long, long, long film. Didn't make me want to visit Australia - expected a lot more from the countryside/journey element from the reviews. Go see something else...

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Ken mitchell said...

Posted on Dec 30 2008 22:57 Have just seen the film,inspite of what some of the so called critics said.As far as I am concerned ,films should be about escapeism and entertainment,and this scored 100% on both!!!!!I can only assume that those criticising are so far up themselves that they wouldn't recognise a good film if they saw it!!!!

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keith gibson said...

Posted on Dec 30 2008 09:41 I can`t believe anyone wouldn`t like this film. I thought it was brilliant. Great fun, great story, great bits of acting. Loved it.

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Bev said...

Posted on Dec 29 2008 23:34 I absolutely loved this film! This is the best film I have seen in a very long time! It managed to touch me, make me laugh, cry and I just stared in wonder at the Aussie scenery! It starts out simply as a great feisty outback adventure/love story between an English Lady and Aussie Drover (Hugh Jackman what a man!), and their relationship with a mixed race child and then develops into a great epic! This also brought to light a part of Australian history I was unaware of, the treatment of mixed race children in Australia, the “lost generation”. The relationships between the characters, the acting, combined with the excitement of the story captured my imagination and keep me glued for the entire film. Every credit should be given to Baz Luhrmann.

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