DRAMA/ADVENTURE
U.S. Release Date: 11/26/08
Running Length: 165 Minutes
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Violence, Sexual Situations)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Bryan Brown, Brandon Walters, David Wenham
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Screenplay: Stuart Beattie and Baz Luhrmann and Ronald Harwood and Richard Flanagan
Cinematography: Mandy Walker
Music: David Hirschfelder
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Review by: Carter Moulton

12/04/08

Attempting to disprove the phrase, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to," Australia provides two hours and forty-five minutes of pure escapism and excitement. Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo+Juliet) envisioned a film that brought back the romantic epic that was so popular during the Great Depression. The result is a beautiful-looking piece of entertainment, done in a style similar to Gone With The Wind, Out of Africa, or any other handful of epic films. To call Australia cliché, cheesy, or unoriginal would be entirely missing Luhrmann’s point. Luhrmann is set on creating a memorial to classical Hollywood—melodrama and all. Slap Australia on a silver screen in the ‘30’s and it would be still be mentioned today. Unfortunately for the epic, it is not as effective as it once was, and critics are more cynical than they used to be.

Set from 1939 to 1942, Australia centers on Lady Sarah Ashley (played by Nicole Kidman) who travels to northern Australia to see her husband who has been rumored to be womanizing at his ranch (named Faraway Downs). She arrives to find him mysteriously murdered. She now owns the cattle station, and Nallah, an aboriginal boy (played by newcomer Brandon Walters), informs her that a rival rancher, King Carney (Bryan Brown), has been scheming to take over her cattle station.

Drover (Hugh Jackman) runs cattle drives at Faraway Downs. He’s the rugged, chiseled hero. He decides to help Lady Ashley. The characters learn that unless they are able to drive cattle to Darwin to sell, Carney will run them out of business. During the drive, Drover and Lady Ashley fall in love. Carney’s right-hand man, Neil Fletcher (David Wenham, who played Faramir in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy), serves as the main antagonist, and he is one evil soul. He does everything in his power to stop the drive before it reaches Darwin.

Photo © 20th Century Fox

It seems like this would be more than enough story to cram into a feature-length film, but Luhrmann is swinging for the fences. The second half of the film is much more serious. World War II has arrived. The Japanese are bombing northern Australia, and our characters are knee-deep in it. The Japanese planes, along with many other special effects, look like they were painted on the screen. All of the CGI has a matted feel to it, exhibiting the movies’ hope to recapture the 1930’s. The action shots are effective, and never undermine the story.

The film is saturated with color. The cinematography and lighting are both goregous, and Luhrmann doesn’t hesitate to sell Australia to the audience. He places the characters in fly-by shots of the landscape and frames silhouettes in front of the Australian sunset. Hugh Jackman’s performance keeps the film from feeling too over the top (a very difficult thing to do here). He and Nicole Kidman have a nice chemistry, but, again, the performance to watch is Brandon Walters.

Australia is essentially two films. This unevenness in the story prevents the audience from forming any deep emotional connections with the characters. Luhrmann wanted to create nostalgia. He’s successful at creating the magic, but he sacrifices some character development and pacing. Unfortunately, I don’t know if this movie will find a home with audiences (Cold Mountain didn’t perform too well). The Academy may ignore Australia, but one thing is certain: With numerous references to The Wizard of Oz, particularly “Somewhere Over The Rainbow," Luhrmann makes it perfectly clear that we’re not in Kansas anymore; we’ve been swept off to Australia—if only for a few hours.