Australia (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
O Good
X OK
O Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / December 21, 2008

“Australia” is essentially two movies combined, and it hearkens back to the extravagant epics of the early ’60s, when Hollywood was overextending itself to compete with television: e.g., “Cleopatra” (1963).

With a 165-minute run time, “Australia’s” first story involves an uppity, English widow (Nicole Kidman) who commissions an Aussie cowboy (Hugh Jackman) to lead a cattle drive in hopes of eclipsing a local monopolist who was destroying her late husband’s business.

Few films feature such large-scale cattle drives (which are the western equivalent of road movies), but “Australia” is no “Lonesome Dove” (1989) — the best cattle drive movie and one of the great westerns.

The latter half of “Australia” strains for a dramatic attempt to reassemble the couple’s makeshift family amidst the turbulent backdrop of World War II.

“Australia” begins with silly comedy that’s not as funny as “Crocodile Dundee” (1986), breaks into an adventure that’s inferior to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981), falls short of accomplishing the visual sweep of “Lonesome Dove,” and wraps up with wartime melodrama comparable to “Pearl Harbor” (2001). Yet “Australia” wishes to evoke all of the above.

Yes, the movie is somewhat entertaining, but aside from a couple of parables on racism, broad spectacle is the extent of “Australia’s” ambition: In planning this film, I picture a number of studio execs sitting around a table, compiling all the elements that would delight audiences. Their primary consideration: have Kidman and Jackman kiss as many times as possible.

Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Nicole Kidman / Hugh Jackman / Brandon Walters
Adventure / Drama 165 min.
MPAA: PG-13 (for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language)

U.S. Release Date: November 26, 2008
Copyright 2008: 329