Australia Movie Information

Movie Information

Overall Rank: 7459

Average Rating: 2.5/4

# of Ratings: 98

Theatrical Release Date: 11/26/2008

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 03/03/2009

Language: English

Genre: Adventure, Drama

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Director: Baz Luhrmann

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

Plot: 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 Kavan

Quick Movie Reviews

Rating of
2.5/4

Matthew Brady - wrote on 02/27/2014

The story is about 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. This movie has a good cast and good acting but the romance wasn't sweet.

Rating of
3/4

mitchellyoung - wrote on 07/28/2011

This is Baz Luhrmann's "Gone With the Wind." The story is epic and spans several years, the cinematography and production design are elegant, and the performances are captivating. I think the film is a little unevenly paced; the first half is more tension-filled and, when the film moves two years into the future, it kind of loses momentum for a good half hour or so. It probably could have been edited down from its nearly three hour running length, but it's clearly a labor of love about a country and culture that is native to the director (and actors) and, because of that, it mostly succeeds.

Rating of
4/4

PsychoKing1227 - wrote on 10/21/2010

A brilliant epic adventure from the mind of Baz Luhrmann, so you know it has to be good. Now, before I really delve, I'll just say that this movie had it all for me, everything, so prepared for some gushing. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, and Brandon Walters had me, they HAD me from the moment the film opened up. This opulent epic was visually stunning, well-written, superbly-directed, and incredibly well-executed. With production quality along the lines of "Gangs of New York," "Australia" was a brilliant imagining of the wonders of the world "down under" and held a new candle to Luhrmann's previous works and other epics to follow.

Full Movie Reviews

Freddie
Freddie
Producer

Rating of
2/4

This One Can Stay Outback

Freddie - wrote on 11/06/2009

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 …

BryanFury
BryanFury
Producer

Rating of
2.5/4

Epic wait

BryanFury - wrote on 01/28/2009

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 …

kcvidkid
kcvidkid
Producer

Rating of
3/4

Down under (and out)

kcvidkid - wrote on 12/16/2008

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 …

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Alex
Alex
Movie God

Alex - wrote on 2008-11-02 22:00

I have heard some Oscar buzz on this one.  I really like the trailer
but I am not sure how I feel about it.  At times, it seems to be a
little bit to PG for an Oscar pic.  But it is by the same guy who didMoulin Rouge

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