What Do The Critics Say?

"At once sprawling and intimate, melodramatic and comic, magnificent and utterly bonkers, it bears entertaining witness to Luhrmann's love of old movies and his Down Under homeland." Peter Howell TORONTO STAR "The epic scope of the filmmaking gives you newfound appreciation for what a visionary filmmaker can achieve when given the chance to make films without compromise." Edward Douglas COMING SOON "As ridiculous as Australia often is, it's also ridiculously entertaining." Chris Hewitt ST PAUL PIONEER EXPRESS "Comedy and tragedy, action and melodrama, full measures of quirk and swoon: It’s just a plain good time at the movies." Amy Biancolli HOUSTON CHRONICLE "A wildly ambitious, luridly indulgent spectacle of romance, action, melodrama and historic revisionism, Australia is windy, overblown, utterly preposterous and insanely entertaining." Ann Hornaday WASHINGTON POST "Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman may be heralded as the film’s stars, but the real star of Australia is the landscape. As the credits roll, we take with us the spectacular imagery of a unique, vast land, as well as the haunting face of an innocent little boy whose culture is becoming invisible." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "An enormous, exotic, exhilarating frontier adventure that is, in its weight and grand ambition, on the epic scale of "Gone With the Wind". Essential to any great melodrama are its villains: Bryan Brown is malevolent while David Wenham is loathsome. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Australia" is an enormous, exotic, exhilarating 10. A must-see: this monumental movie stands way out from the crowd." Susan Granger SSG SYNDICATE

"I love Kidman's spunk and educability. I utterly agree that Jackman is, as People crowned him last week, the "sexiest man alive." Above all, I like the good-natured, hell-for-leather energy of the movie, the sense it imparts that no matter how much its silent-picture villains twirl their mustaches, its good folks, the people who represent the generous spirit of Australia, are going to win out in the end. Somebody is surely going to say that they don't make 'em like this anymore, so let me be one of the first to do so. Australia delivers with real panache." Richard Schickel TIME MAGAZINE "What a gorgeous film, what strong performances, what exhilarating images and yes, what sweeping romantic melodrama." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "An old-fashioned, screen-filling picture that is at times as rousing and untamed as the continent that it depicts. It is an epic romance, a statement on racial equality, an Old West cattle drive movie with comedy and so much more. A journey that stirs the soul as well as the senses." Michael Smith TULSA WORLD "For much of its more than 2 1/2 hour length, this sweeping film from Aussie director Baz Luhrmann provides old-fashioned thrills and entertainment." Carla Meyer SACRAMENTO BEE "It's an ode to a place (exotic to some, familiar to others), yes, but more than that, Australia is state of mind: wonderment, grandeur, beauty, love, escape, hope." Brett McCracken CHRISTIANITY TODAY "It’s not the size that matters most in Baz Luhrmann’s Australia, it’s the many details, the intimate, personal moments, the connection with and respect for the Aboriginal culture in the context of human interaction, and the evil that greed makes men callously do. But that’s not to dismiss the gloriously dramatic landscape that Mandy Walker captures with great finesse, nor the sweep of the story over three important years, up to the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE

The Inside Story An epic tale of transformation, love and adventure, "Australia" unfolds on the continent that director Baz Luhrmann sees as the world’s last great frontier. "To the rest of the world, Australia is the faraway of the faraway," Luhrmann says. "There’s a great line in the beginning of "Out of Africa", when Karen Blixen finds out that her husband is having an affair and she says, 'I’ve got to get away, I’ll go anywhere. Africa, Australia: well, maybe not Australia.'" Luhrmann grew up in the small lumber town of Herons Creek in northern New South Wales, where his family ran a farm, the local gas station and, for a short time, the movie theatre. "The movie musical was a great childhood love of mine, but I was also a big fan of the historical epic," he says. "Epics were the kind of movies that you would hear about for weeks before the films actually arrived, and every single person in town would go to see them. You can imagine the impression made on a small boy in rural Australia by films like "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Ben Hur": big, romantic adventures set in distant, exotic locales where the landscape amplified the inner emotional journeys of the characters." The idea of creating an epic film set in his homeland that, like the classics that so influenced him in childhood, would have broad appeal across all generations of people around the world was an appealing prospect. "When watching these kinds of films, from "Gone with the Wind" and "Ben-Hur" to "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Titanic", the audience was communing in one big motion picture experience," the 1992 AFI Award winner for "Strictly Ballroom" observed. "I wanted to create a cinematic work that would be similarly inclusive because I feel passionately about having more inclusiveness in our lives. Bringing people together brings comfort to the heart and soul in this unpredictable world." "This is the film I’ve wanted to make since I was a little girl," says Academy ® Award winning Actress Nicole Kidman ("The Hours"). "I grew up watching Australian actresses like Judy Davis in "My Brilliant Career" and Angela Punch McGregor in "We of the Never Never" playing wonderful characters in stories set in our country, and I dreamed of making a film here that had the passion and weight of those movies." 2005 EMMY Award winner Hugh Jackman describes working on "Australia" as "the opportunity of a lifetime. I hadn’t done an Australian movie in eight years, so to come back and make a film of this magnitude, scale and ambition: using my own accent!, was a dream come true. Dream role, dream movie, dream cast, dream director." The story of "Australia" is set in motion by Kidman’s Lady Sarah Ashley, a headstrong British socialite lost in a loveless marriage and a staid, superficial life. "At the age of fourty, Sarah has poured herself into objects of perfection and control," Luhrmann says. "The only thing that she truly loves are her horses." Faraway Downs is a huge property in the unforgiving Outback, populated by an eclectic mix of cattlemen, servants and indigenous tribesmen. "It’s the antithesis to anything Sarah has ever experienced," three time Golden Globe winner (1996, 2002 & '03) Kidman says. "But during the course of the story, she sheds a lot of the barriers that she’s built up to protect herself. She becomes the woman she truly wants to be, and she finds love: for a child, for a man and for the land." Sarah surprises herself and others around her by rising to the challenges of her new life and responsibilities, but nothing and no one challenges her more than the 'Drover'. As rugged as Sarah is refined, the 'Drover' is the best of a breed of man who drive herds of cattle across hundreds of miles of brutal, unforgiving terrain. The 'Drover' is a superb horseman who prefers to live under the sun and stars, a nomad and a solitary man. "He’s more comfortable out there with his horse and the cattle than he is with people," says Jackman ("Swordfish" & "Kate & Leopold"). "He’s his own man. He doesn’t want to be beholden to anybody, which is why someone like Lady Ashley presents quite a few problems for him." Despite their differences, Sarah and the Drover need each other: and the money they’ll earn if they can pull off a near-impossible drove of fifteen hundred cattle across the Kuraman Desert to market in Darwin. As the combative pair ready their misfit team of ranch hands and homesteaders to embark on the daunting expedition, tragedy strikes. A young Aboriginal boy called Nullah is left orphaned, and Sarah is thrust into a role that she had long ago given up hope of ever experiencing. "Caring for the boy awakens something in Sarah, and she finds unexpected strength and confidence as a mother," Kidman says. The situation is complicated by the fact that Nullah is a 'half-caste', or a half-Aboriginal, half-Caucasian child (refered to in the film as a 'creamy'). In the segregated society of Australia in the 1930s and '40s, interracial marriage was illegal, and the children of illicit bi-racial relationships were forbidden from living among whites or with their Indigenous families. In a misguided attempt to lift these children out of poverty and offer them the possibility of a more rewarding future by distancing them from their Indigenous communities, the Australian government launched a nationwide program in which the children were taken from their families and placed in church missions or state institutions. Part-Aboriginal children in particular were deemed as 'salvageable' and removed from their traditional culture in an attempt to re-educate them. These children have come to be known as the 'Stolen Generations' and, while statistics are murky, it is believed that between one-tenth and one-third of all Indigenous boys and girls were taken from their parents and relocated. "This is the world into which Nullah is born," Luhrmann notes."He is both black and white in a world that cannot tolerate having such individuals integrated into their society." Like Nullah, the 'Drover' is an outcast: ostracized by white society for living among Indigenous people and marrying an Aboriginal woman. As Jackman explains, "He lives somewhere between the two cultures, but he is not really a part of either." Nullah is portrayed by thirteen year old newcomer Brandon Walters, who was discovered at a public pool in his hometown of Broome during an intensive nationwide casting search for an Indigenous boy to play the pivotal role. Casting director Nikki Barrett ("He Died with a Felafel in His Hand" & "The Black Balloon") spent months traveling to remote parts of the continent and auditioning nearly one thousand young Aboriginal boys, most of whom, like Walters, had no acting experience or training. Luhrmann narrowed the field of potential Nullahs from hundreds to ten finalists. For the first time in his life Walters left Western Australia traveling to Sydney, where the director conducted workshop sessions with the prospective young actors. "I was immediately struck by Brandon’s natural talent and charisma," Luhrmann recalls. "He and Nullah share a similar spirit." "Everyone in my family was so happy when I got the part," says Walters (a cancer survivor who battled leukemia when he was just six years old). "I told my Mum when I grow up, I want to be an actor. Then I got this role, and I hope to act in more movies." His preparation for the film included training in horseback riding and cattle driving techniques (he especially enjoyed learning to crack a whip), singing lessons and dialect coaching. "The demands of filming over six months are incredibly challenging, especially for a young boy with no acting experience," says Luhrmann of Walters, who was only eleven years old when filming took place. "Brandon impressed everyone on the cast and crew with his stamina and enthusiasm." 1988 Australian Film Institute Award winner (the mini-series "Vietnam") KIdman, revealed she "fell head over heels in love with Brandon. He’s very special. He taught me a lot about his culture, and it was magical to see the world through his eyes. He still has so much wonderment." Three time AFI Award winner David Wenham ("Gettin' Square" , TV'S "Simone de Beauvoir's Babies" & "Answered by Fire"), known internationally for his role as Faramir in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, plays the bad guy, Faraway Downs’ scheming station manager Neil Fletcher. A ruthless saboteur, Fletcher is secretly plotting with cattle baron King Carney to take over Sarah’s property. "King Carney is a businessman driven by huge ambition," says two time AFI Award winner Bryan Brown ("Breaker Morant" & "Two Hands"). "He can be very generous and benevolent when he’s winning, but when he’s losing, don’t get in his way because he will walk all over you. It was good fun to play a character as colorful as Carney. He’s part bully, part charmer." 1980 AFI Award winner Jack Thompson ("Breaker Morant") was cast as Kipling Flynn, Faraway Downs’ alcoholic but benevolent accountant. Luhrmann believes "Jack Thompson is the Orson Welles of Australia. He is the grand statesman of Australian actors." 1985 Logie winner Thompson ("Waterfront") actually worked on a cattle station when he was fourteen. Also in the film are: 2002 AFI Award winner David Gulpilil ("The Tracker") was cast as King George, a mysterious Aboriginal shaman who teaches Nullah the ways of Indigenous magic; David Ngoombujarra as Magarri and Angus Pilakui as Goolaj, the Drover’s trusted stockmen; Lillian Crombie as Faraway Downs’ spirited housemaid Bandy Legs; Yuen Wah as the laconic cook Sing Song; and 1987 AFI Award winner Ben Mendelsohn ("The Year My Voice Broke") as Army Captain Emmett Dutton. "These are all people that I’m really glad to be able to say that we’ve made a film together, to have shared this gorgeous experience," Kidman says. "I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this project, especially at this stage of my life." "It was a great honor to turn up on set every day of a film called ‘Australia’ and work with some of the greatest actors that this country has ever produced," Jackman says. "It’s a real testament, not only to what this film means to our country, but also to what Baz means to all these actors. People jumped at the chance to be a part of it." Kidman kept a diary during filming, infusing her performance with her own personal experience of getting to know Australia on a deeper level. "I now have really seen the magic of what we have here," she says. "And I do mean magic. The intoxication of it is powerful. There’s something in the air, the earth and the nature of the people that just captures you, and before you know it you’re a part of the land." For Luhrmann, Lady Sarah Ashley and the characters that populate his film exemplify his personal and professional motto: "A life lived in fear is a life half lived." Cinema audiences need not fear, for this is a film filled with life, grandeur and excitement. Synopsis

An epic and romantic action adventure, set in that country on the explosive brink of World War II, the story of Australia starts when an English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley travels to the faraway continent where her husband has a cattle station. Her first encounter with the locals is when she meets a rough-hewn local known only as 'Drover'. When she arrives at the property Lady Ashley discovers her husband has been killed by an aboriginal named King George. She reluctantly agrees to join forces with 'Drover' in an attempt to save the land she inherited. Together, they embark upon a transforming journey across hundreds of miles of the world’s most beautiful yet unforgiving terrain driving the cattle to market. The success of their drive will only be accomplished if they arrive in time to beat their rival, King Carney. Lady Sarah's plight will be heightened by two earth shattering events. The relocation of Nulla to Melville Island and is bombing of the city of Darwin by the same Japanese forces that attacked Pearl Harbor.

The Verdict "Sweeping panorama's, an exciting cattle drive, the bombing of Darwin, love, heartbreak, adventure and death: that's award winning director Bazz Luhrmann's latest contribution, "Australia", a colorful and rich tale set in the remote outback of the Never Never. Forget complaints about the style of language used in "Australia" for this is 1939, not 2008. In those days, crikey, strewth, stone the crows, blimey, mate and cobber were an integral part of our colorful language. Unlike American critics, many of whom have their head up their arse most of the time, I'm sure that the majority of Australian cinemagoers will find "Australia" to be, damn good fun. Standouts in the cast are Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, David Gulpilil, Jack Thompson and newcomer Brandon Walters who plays the 'creamy', Nullah. The scenery is spectacular and the bombing of Darwin, although lacking a little in the SFX department is highly emotive as is the bond between Lady Sarah and Nullah. Credit must be given to Oscar winning actress Kidman who gives a good account of herself in this role. The films ending with have you choking back the tears, so be prepared by remembering to take the tissues with you. "Australia" is another BazzLuhrmann ("Strictly Ballroom" & "Moulin Rouge!") extraverganza that will reward audience who see it more than once. Highly recommended. 4 STARS." Crew Bytes "AUSTRALIA" was .......
directed by 1997 Alfred Bauer Award winner Baz Luhrmann ["Strictly Ballroom" and "Romeo + Juliet"]; art direction by Karen Murphy ["The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Kite Runner"]; costume design by Catherine Martin ["Moulin Rouge!"]; production design by Catherine Martin ["Moulin Rouge!"]; edited by Dody Dorn ["Terminator 2: Judgment Day", "Treasure Island" & "Insomnia"] and Michael McCusker ["Walk the Line"]; cinematography by Mandy Walker A.C.S. ["Eight Ball", "Love Serenade" and "Shattered Glass"]; original music by 1993 BAFTA Film Award winner David Hirschfelder ["Peaches", "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" and "Children of the Silk Road"]. Who's Who

Hugh Jackman Nicole Kidman Brandon Walters David Gulpilil Jack Thompson Wah Yuen Bryan Brown David Wenham Lillian Crombie Ursula Yovich Tony Barry Ray Barrett Rebecca Chatfield David Ngoombujarra Barry Otto Kerry Walker Max Cullen Essie Davis Arthur Dignam Sandy Gore Jamie Gulpilil Bill Hunter John Jarratt Eugene Kang Jacek Koman Ben Mendelsohn Angus Pilakui Bruce Spence Matthew Whittet

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Drover Lady Sarah Ashley Nullah King George Kipling Flynn Sing Song King Carney Neil Fletcher Bandy Legs Daisy Sergeant Callahan Bull Magarri's Niece Magarri Administrator Allsop Myrtle Allsop Old Drunk Cath Carney Father Benedict Gloria Carney Porter (wharf) Skipper (Qantas Sloop) Sergeant Waiter Ivan Captain Dutton Goolaj Dr Barker Brother Frank

Run Time 165 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Twentieth Century Fox Films - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.