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Australia

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6.6/10 • 2.3K

2008-11-182h 45m

AdventureRomanceDrama

Welcome to Australia!

Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces firsthand.

Directors
Baz Luhrmann
Editors
Michael McCusker

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Nicole Kidman

    Nicole Kidman

    Lady Sarah Ashley

  2. Hugh Jackman

    Hugh Jackman

    The Drover

  3. Essie Davis

    Essie Davis

    Katherine

  4. David Wenham

    David Wenham

    Neil Fletcher

  5. Bryan Brown

    Bryan Brown

    King Carney

  6. David Gulpilil

    David Gulpilil

    King George

  7. John Jarratt

    John Jarratt

    Sergeant

  8. Shea Adams

    Shea Adams

    Carney Boy

  9. Nathin Art Butler

    Nathin Art Butler

    Carney Boy

Reviews1

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John Chard Avatar

John Chard

Jan 12, 2020

7/10

King George angry at them white fellas. King George say them white fella bad spirit. Must be taken from this land. Australia is directed by Baz Luhrmann and Luhrmann co-writes the screenplay with Stuart Beattie, Ronald Harwood, and Richard Flanagan. It stars Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Bryan Brown and Brandon Walters. It took a bit of a kicking from the pro critics upon release, where the consensus is that at a cost of $130 million this intended sprawling epic is an ambitious flop. For the record at the box office it practically made double its outlay, so certainly wasn't a financial flop. It's a mixed bag for sure, a film of two differing halves. First half sends Kidman's English aristocrat to Northern Australia after she inherits the sprawling Faraway Downs Ranch. Here she finds herself in the middle of a dirty take over plot and reluctantly makes a working pact with Jackman's stock-man Drover. Seeds are sewn here for a bit of a screwball relationship, all while a cattle feud brews and the Aborigines at the ranch - particularly young Nulllah (Walters) - are in fear of racial tension. Pic then flip-flops into a love story, a war story (as the Japanese attack Darwin) and the bile strewn historical strand that features the "stolen generations" of half-white/half-Aboriginal children. With all this going on, as Lurhman nods to classic epics from classic era past, the vistas are stunning and the hard work of cattle ranching is given genuine credence (helps having the rugged Jackman leading the way). Set pieces are exciting, the Japanese aerial attacks realistic for dramatic worth, while the chemistry between the leads, a worthy child performance from Walters and a quality weasel villain turn from Wenham ensure performances don't harm the pic in that department. There's even the likes of Ben Mendelsohn and John Jarratt in secondary support slots. It isn't all it can be, and tonally it feels like there might have been some behind the scenes interference (three co-writers probably didn't help). Yet there are some genuine moments of fun and beauty here, mixed with some heart string tugs and reflection of an historical time that should never ne forgotten. Luhrman reached for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and didn't quite make it, but it's honourable and has some damn fine craft for entertainment purpose. 7/10

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$130,000,000.00
Revenue
$211,787,511.00
Keywords
australiamissionaryworld war iiranchcattle driveracistprejudicesuspicion of adulteryaustralian outback1940s1930sstampedetrampled to death