Australia Review

Overall Rating

Cinematography, story, actors

Australia is a film reminiscent of the old western. Taking place in the late 1930's through the early 1940's we follow the lives of a refined Englishwoman, Nicole Kidman, who comes to Australia looking to convince her husband to sell their cattle ranch in the Northern Territories. Met at the port of Darwin by the ranch's top drover, Hugh Jackman, she begins the perilous journey north to the ranch. Upon arriving she finds her husband dead and the ranch in a state of disrepair. Living on the ranch is a young boy, Brandon Walters, the product of an aboriginal mother and white father, who becomes an intregral part of the story. Circumstances soon change for Kidman's character and she decides to stay in Australia and rebuild the ranch into a profit making enterprise. There are typical western themes, barroom brawling, cattle drives, horses, heroes and villians, but with the time frame what it is, war breaks out and the Japenese become a threat to everyone. Don't let the length of this film deter you from seeing it. At 2 hours 45 minutes it is entertaining enough throughout to hold your interest and ends up seeming much shorter. I recommend it to anyone that likes a bigger than life film filled with excitement, romance and action.

Members' Comments onBozinator's Review

• Stanla on 14th Feb 2009

  I found this review helpful because...
  I am going to see the movie this afternoon and have had mixed reports on it, positive by average punters and critical by the *reviewers (*critics by name and attitude)