Overall Rank:

Avg. Rating:

# of Ratings:

Genres:

Rating:

Language:

DVD Release:

Director:

Actors:

Hugh Jackman
Nicole Kidman
David Wenham
Bryan Brown
Ray Barrett
Brandon Walters

Plot outline:

Add Plot +

View Plots +

An English aristocrat teams up with a rough stock-man in Australia in order to save 2,000 cattle from barons eager to take her land. On the cross-country trip over harsh land, the two come close together only to face the horrors of WWII as Japanese strike following Pearl Harbor. -- Chris aka Tarkin

01/26/2010 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Why I love a terrible film

Fun fact about me: I grew up watching music videos on a loop on MTV. As a result, I have a weak spot for Baz Luhrman and his 'postmodern'/'MTV-style' movies, inluding Australia. I can point out a number of things that are wrong and terrible and awful about this film. It's long, sappy, derivative, stupid, predictable, hilariously bad - the list goes on. But I loved every minute of it. And on a technical level it's got some pretty neat cut-scenes showing a globe near the beginning. Horrible film, but entirely watchable.

Rating of
3.5/4 

11/25/2009 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Beautiful in Every Way

Jackman and Kidman are both amazing actors and in Australia they show you just how talented they are. Both play their parts so emotionally and beautifully that to the viewer they become that person. The chemistry between them is so intense that it makes the romance between two people who are so different even more enjoyable. The imagery of the movie is so breathtakingly beautiful it does nothing less than move the touching romantic adventure along. Yes, it is admittedly a long movie but in the end I doubt you'll be complaining much.

Rating of
4/4 

11/06/2009 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

This One Can Stay Outback

This movie was a disappointed. The trailer misleads you into believing that you are going to witness an epic love story involving an English aristocrat and an Australian stock-man in WWII Australia. Instead, it's a long story about cattle and unmeaningful and awkward relationships. I will start off by saying that the acting was solid. I would not expect anything less from Kidman and Jackman, because they are brilliant. However, there was really no chemistry between any of the characters. I wasn't really moved when the little boy's mother died. I barely cared when Kidman and Jackman had a falling out. The most interesting character was King George, and I don't mean that disparagingly. He was such a strong character for having such a small role. I was captivated whenever he was on the scree...

Rating of
2/4 

01/28/2009 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Epic wait

I really thought that this movie was about how to move massive quantities of cattle in the Australian outback. It would have been nice though if the first two hours was removed, then I wouldn't have had to endure that very long cattle ranching lesson. There's no doubt this movie looks great from a distance but that's just about it. The lack of substance the first two hours alone can make one so enormously exhausted waiting for something to happen. I also believed that the lack of chemistry between the lead actors was one of the major flaws in this supposed epic. One other thing I’d like to point out was the consistent panning of random scenes was really annoying. Overall the last thirty minutes would be the one to watch out for, though I’m not so sure everyone can stay that long for the w...

Rating of
2.5/4 

12/16/2008 (0 of 0 found this helpful)

Down under (and out)

Although I wanted very much to see Baz Luhrmann's latest, I was afraid that it might stray too far from his signature style. I mean, really, what is "Romeo + Juliet" or "Moulin Rouge" without its unique visual and musical approach?

"Australia" starts out quirky enough; Luhrmann's fingerprint is obvious. And it is gorgeous throughout. But at some point it strays by becoming too "ordinary".

I was even squirming in my seat until the cattle drive (a very exciting sequence), after which point it felt like the movie was over, even though it didn't seem like enough time had passed. Sure enough, the epic was only half way through. And I'm not sure the final climax was as good as this first one.

Why must there always be a child (or children) to evoke sympathy for the characters or...

Rating of
3/4