I loved the film it, flaws and all. Was the Wizard of Oz stuff a bit sappy? Sure, but I loved it and I loved all the musical elements that Baz wove into the film.

The big hill that King George lived atop and looked upon upon Falling Downs looked like the hill that Max looked down onto the refinery in The Road Warrior. Heck, I think I even saw Bruce Spence at the Auxiliary Ball.

Maybe I'm just a sucker for old fashioned romances, but I was drawn in and the quasi-adoption element had all the drama (if predictability) that one could hope for. However, I do agree with some of the criticisms of the mystical portrayal of the Aborigines, but I was able to enjoy the film nonetheless and thankfully it was limited to a single character.

A-.

brad do u live in the UK?

Good catch. Faraway

I kind of loved this. As others have said, the hammy first 15-20 minutes don't work at all (I was reminded of City Slickers or something). But it gets going eventually and transforms itself into a lush, entertaining epic of the type not found much in Hollywood these days. Australia's cinematography is eye-popping, especially the beautifully filmed cattle stampede sequence. Nicole Kidman and the always dreamy Hugh Jackman are both quite good (especially Kidman) but, acting-wise, the film belongs to Brandon Walters, the young actor playing Nullah. It doesn't quite live up to the quality of Baz Luhrmann's previous two films (Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge) but it would be difficult to do so. I was really impressed with this movie, overall. A-

So my friends who watched this on Friday were livid and disgusted by the film's racism. So I'm going to pass on this shit.

Yeah, I've heard this is a significant issue as well.

Did they mean the "magic negro" phenomenon sort of racism and western Chinese cook type? If so, that was present in the film.

Yeah, something along the lines of "magic Aborigines."

the film is depicting the racial issues and Aboriginal beliefs.

Your review doesn't say "B+"?!?

you should change your friends. It's clearly a pro-Aboriginie-movie. It's an excuse for the horrible treatment they received til the 70s.

i think i have to see this tonight. I'm not happy

I'm glad it seems like mostly everyone is on the A-/B+ range... Me too.

Fortunately the length didn't really bug me, and I think Kidman deserves some credit for her work here. I think she gave Oscar-worthy performances here (and in last year's Margot at the Wedding), but she's going to get overlooked. Shame.

It's a sumptuous film, I'd actually like to see it again. A-.

Why is this movie called racist for suggesting the Australian Aborigines' beliefs (magic and such) are legit? Maybe a bit goofy, but racist...? Would it be so much better if the film had a "WTF? Those ignorant bastards believe WHAT?"-type attitude? I don't see the racism.

Morgan Freeman is the magical negro in every single film he appears in. Where's all the cries of racism then.

I liked the film a bunch. It has some pretty big flaws, but I liked the leads, the damn kid, and I thought it did a nice job of inserting itself into real history. Luhrmann maybe tries too much here, but I have a really hard time faulting someone for being too ambitious.

B+

There were many good elements in Australia, they were just not assembled into a good movie, and strangely, that's important to me.

However, I'd love to see a two hour director's cut down the road, if Baz ever comes back to his senses...

B+

The first 20 minutes are hideous. But afterthat it's a very decent film. It has some editing flaws, but I think it tells a very important story.

The more I reflect on this movie, the more problems I have with it.

oh sweet merciful christ

That's vague. I enjoyed every delicious morsel of Baz's crazy-ass decadent feast.

My god the pleasure of this thing.

So, Australia has some amazing scenes and is definitely a visual triumph. The first hour was just awesome: Nicole was funny and believable; Hugh was hot and manly and just great; the little kid cute as a button. I thought the whole cattle subplot was a bit silly, but everything else was so good that I was really into. Then, once the damn cows get onto the metal ship, it's all downhill from there. The second half of the movie was just passable. I didn't buy the love story between Sarah and Grover; I thought the whole Fletcher as villain was over the top and badly done; war imagery has been done way better in other movies. Baz had the right intensions and vision, but ultimately the editing and storyline just don't really take off. The music and the amazing shots demanded more.

First half: A
Second half: C

Average: B

Sam is correct. The first hour is a rousing, fun outback movie, I actually loved the opening and would've preferred that tone the whole way through. The second act/after they get together bit is a bit weaker, I didn't really buy the romance as much as in Baz's other films, like Magnus said it feels too quick and as if the characters knew from the beginning what would happen. The last hour is flat out unbearable. It's taken straight out of war romance schmaltz for dummies (the same book Bay used for Pearl Harbour!) and it's total predictable lame crap. The only thing that could've made it worse is if they used the Jackman jumps in front of the bullet and dies ending. Oh wait... that's what they planned...

The acting is probably the highlight. I dare say this is one of Kidman's best performances, and naturally Jackman is at his height too. Walters is also exceptional. Wasn't a fan of the Fletcher guy but I think that was more due to his twirling moustache characterization than the guy playing him.

I'm surprised you thought it was a crazy feast yosh, I actually thought aside from the opening and rain montage, Baz played it pretty straight and by the rules here. I think his work was still competent so I can't discredit him that much, but yea, it felt like it could've easily been made by Minghella or some other decent enough Hollywood hired gun. That's how I would define the movie, it's a competant piece of filmmaking but doesn't really add anything new to the genre or make a claim to be remembered. A disappointment for me.

2.5/5

Whaaa?!?!? Did they have a quick affair while the Drover was in the outback? That part must have been edited out of the print I saw...