Review by Katina.
AUSTRALIA has the weight of the world on its shoulders as the pre-Oscar buzz surrounding it includes approval from Oprah, the biggest budget for a feature film in Australian history, and the knowledge that Nicole Kidman’s previous few offerings have been box office disasters. With Baz Lurhmann returning to feature filmmaking after 2001’s Moulin Rouge! and his known influences of the golden age, this sweeping romantic epic said to be Australia’s answer to Gone with the Wind has a lot to answer for. The modern masterpiece it’s being made out to be may just be that – made out. On the other hand, there’s a different opinion for those wanting a good, old-fashioned film.
Originally slated in the male lead, Russell Crowe pulled out of production due to scheduling issues before Hugh Jackman provided the replacement. Production on AUSTRALIA lasted for 2 years – 4 years before that on working out scripts, characters and locations, while Lurhmann put finishing touches the night before last month’s world premiere. He is known for paying attention to detail and prides himself on giving the viewer a visual experience. That certainly works to his favour in this film – the stunning Australian Outback is served beautifully with the help of cinematographer Mandy Walker, best known for her work in 2001’s Lantana. Dramatic sweeping aerial shots make you ashamed of not having explored what’s in our own backyard. No doubt this film is marketed to overseas audiences, particularly the USA with Oscar aspirations – and sometimes it gives the impression of a tourism ad. That’s not a coincidence, with Lurhmann producing an ad for Tourism Australia in conjunction with the film.
Written by Lurhmann and long-time collaborator Stuart Beattie, the theatric feel continues as a main theme in any Bazmark production. Using inspiration from films like Oklahoma and The Wizard of Oz (directly used in quite a sweet way), Lurhmann gives us a surprisingly funny beginning as we watch Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) settle into her husband’s Faraway Downs estate with The Drover (Hugh Jackman, cementing a desire to see more romantic leads from him in the future). Kidman is enjoyably funny, and turns to more dramatic circumstances with relative ease. The real stars are in the support, with David Wenham as the chauvinistic villain Neil Fletcher, and young Brandon Walters as Nullah. After an extensive 2000-auditionee search, his innocence plays perfectly into Lurhmann’s hands in providing theatrical magic and could well earn him an Oscar nomination. The Indigenous involvement in this film is more than what has been portrayed and it’s surprising to see such talent within a very important story. Lurhmann uses this opportunity to create a portrayal of The Stolen Generation, something that many Australians don’t have a good understanding of. While it is a version suitable for a Hollywood film, nevertheless the WWII backdrop serves as a reminder of the closest Australia has been directly affected by war.
At almost three hours, it does deliver as an epic in the vein of his inspiration, but Lurhmann obviously had different ideas of how he wanted his film to look, as witnessed by those in the first test screenings. Unlike so many character-driven films lately, AUSTRALIA has a real story behind it, moving along at a good pace as we see if Lady Sarah can outstay the baddies and conquer with love on her side. The characters are all likeable (and Fletcher excellently hatable), but it could have benefited from an extended cut to draw out the growing love between Lady Sarah and The Drover. It contains everything an epic should – romance, drama, action, and in this case, comedy, but it isn’t the absolute masterpiece we were hoping for. However, for its extravagance it’s still a very good film and it did come close, clearly showing the comfort Kidman has with Lurhmann, and providing a good reason for Americans and the like to visit our land. After all, how can Americans say no to seeing a kangaroo? Even if they do realize when they’re here it’s more likely to be in a zoo?
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