Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.
In northern Australia at the beginning of World War II, an English aristocrat inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn stock-man to drive 2,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.Written by
Anonymous
Hugh Jackman and David Wenham appeared together in "Van Helsing", however in that movie, instead of being the bad guy, Wenham's character is the friar side-kick. Wenham also appeared with Nicole Kidman in "Moulin Rouge". See more »
Goofs
When Drover storms away from Faraway Downs after his argument with Sarah, the tracks from the camera truck in front of his horse are clearly visible in the sand. See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Nullah:
My grandfather, King George, he take'em me walkabout, teach me black fella way. Grandfather teach'em me most important lesson of all. Tell'em story. That day I down the billabong. King George, he teach me how to catch'em fish using magic song. See, I not black fella. I not white fella either. Them white fellas call me mixed-blood, half-caste, creamy. I belong to no one.
King George:
That day I see'em them white fellas. They were pushing them cheeky bulls across the river onto Carney land.
Nullah:
[...] See more »
Australia is a totally unashamedly romantic adventure film painted on a huge canvas.
We totally enjoyed every minute: it is what cinema can be - stirring, fun, involving - and made us forget the world for nearly three hours.
If Spielberg had made this (And it really looks like he could have) it would be called a masterpiece - Luhrman has done a fantastic job and if it needed reediting then they got it right.
It is fun, big fun, with a real sense of adventure and romance and we loved it.
Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman are well supported by an excellent cast and produce great chemistry.
All in all in a sea of serious films this stands out as being tremendously good entertainment and a marvelous film.
We love it.
164 of 276 people found this review helpful.
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Australia is a totally unashamedly romantic adventure film painted on a huge canvas.
We totally enjoyed every minute: it is what cinema can be - stirring, fun, involving - and made us forget the world for nearly three hours.
If Spielberg had made this (And it really looks like he could have) it would be called a masterpiece - Luhrman has done a fantastic job and if it needed reediting then they got it right.
It is fun, big fun, with a real sense of adventure and romance and we loved it.
Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman are well supported by an excellent cast and produce great chemistry.
All in all in a sea of serious films this stands out as being tremendously good entertainment and a marvelous film.
We love it.