Review: Australia

Australia (20th Century)

Rated: PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language.

Starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walters, Bryan Brown, David Wenham.

Written by Stuart Beattie, Baz Luhrmann, Ronald Harwood and Richard Flanagan.

Directed by Baz Luhrmann.

GRADE: B+

REVIEW

By Dan Metcalf

For those who miss the epic western, the epic love story, and the epic war movie, there's good news: You can get all three if you're willing to pay 8 bucks at the megaplex this holiday weekend. The bad news is Australia, the latest Nicole Kidman Baz-Luhrmann project (they teamed up for Moulon Rouge), is almost as long as three movies.

I am one of those cinephiles who are sick of raunchy comedies like Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder or the depressing death-dramas like Mystic River and No Country for Old Men. I recently rented The English Patient just to remember what it was like to see a movie that took me back in time, had beautiful scenery, and held my interest for more than two hours. Australia comes pretty close to pulling it off, except for a few hiccups that arrive at inopportune times.

Kidman stars as Lady Sarah Ashley, an english blue-blood who travels to the land down under to get her husband to sell the couple's ranch and get out of town. Upon arrival, she discovers her husband murdered and is greeted by a 'drover' (cattle driver) named Drover (Hugh Jackman).

Meanwhile back at the ranch (I've always wanted to say that...and mean it), a competing cattle baron is trying to cut into Sarah's operation and monopolize the cattle industry through an exclusive beef contract with the British army. The local law enforcement seems to be tied up with King Carney (Bryan Brown) and is trying to pin the murder of Sarah's hubby on an aboriginal chief named King George, who is the grandfather of a little mixed-race boy (derogatively called 'creamie' by white aussies) named Nalla (played by Brandon Walters).

Sarah decides to fight Carney and his henchmen and keep the ranch (at least until she can get the beef to faraway Darwin in the Northern Territory and sell it to the army). Sarah's problem is the lack of cowboys, so she enlists women, a drunk, Nalla and Drover to help get the doggies to Darwin in a risky and dangerous cattle drive. Along the way, Sarah develops a mother-like relationship with Nalla and a romance with the hunky Drover.

After the cattle drive, Australia moves from a western to a love story as Sarah and Drover settle down to raise little Nalla. Things turn ugly as war approaches and Nalla's grandpa is jailed for the murder he did not commit. Sarah shifts her attention to defining the rights of 'creamies', or the poor kids of mixed aboriginal race who are often cast out from white and native societies in Australia.

As the story reaches its apex, we find Sarah and Drover trying to save themselves and Nalla as the Japanese begin their air and naval assault on Australia.

I think Australia is an ambitious attempt to bring back the epic __ (fill in the blank). It is full of spectacular art direction and cinematography that showcase the beauty of Australia, and bring a sense of history and drama.

There are a few glaring flaws in the movie besides its length (2 hours and 45 minutes). Kidman's performance is a little stiff and sometimes overbearing. The script and story are also a little shaky at times, with several predictable plot paths, especially in the 'love story' parts.

There's also a cumbersome scene that interrupts Australia's most powerful and dramatic moment at the tail-end of the great Japanese war raid. It would have been better to dispatch with the bad guys earlier than to bring the movie to a screeching halt, just for obligatory closure.

I liked Australia for the most part, but I did look down to check my watch more than once. I'm glad the 'epic' is back, but I'm looking forward to better ones.