There she stands against a wide horizon shielding her eyes against a glaring sun, a woman out of her element in a strange and savage new land. There behind her stands the big house of a western ranch, or tea or rubber plantation. A stoic strong man challenges her and their mutual attraction grows against a sweeping Technicolor canvas as the stereophonic lush romantic score swells to overwhelm our senses and pluck the quivering strings of our hearts. Sounds good doesn't it? This is the stuff of the silver age of Hollywood; the 1950's epics abound in these kinds of films. And now it is back in a BIG way.
Yes, we have seen this before, and unfortunately done with more conviction and brilliance. And when it is done right it is pure movie magic. For instance the incomparable George Steven's "Giant", or the lesser "Elephant Walk", or even the soapy yet very exciting "Naked Jungle" these are the fathers of inspiration for Baz Lurhman's "Australia".
This film is an ambitious effort that falls on its face under the weight of its director's choices to go way over the top too many times. Now don't get me wrong. I love over the top in my sweeping epics but in good and timely measures. Not from start to finish. It is just too much and becomes self-conscious and takes one out of the film experience.
The most indulgent of these choices is the casting of Nicole Kidman in the lead. She is too old and her face has changed by some sort of strange process over the last few years as to become hard and well, a little scary. But that aside her performance is not an honest one, she plays the comedy at the beginning of the film straight for laughs and that rings false. Comedy in this kind of film and with this kind of character should be played dead serious to make it work. You just don't believe her and her acting is showing all over the place.
But there were some good things about the film. The boy who the story is really about is just a natural wonder, a pure old acting soul in a child that the camera loves. Hugh Jackman delivers all that is required in the male lead and in the process is natural and believable in the "Rock Hudson - Charlton Heston" mode. The images of Australia are indeed stunning to behold and the cinematography is at times thrilling. But then she pops up in the shot with those puff lips and gives you a start.
There are those things to recommend "Australia" and on a purely visual level you might give it a try. Perhaps if you go in not excepting to love it, the film might work better for you than it did for me. On the other hand, I recommend seeing "Giant" instead to see how this genre of film can sing, zing and fly on the wings of élan.
Yes, we have seen this before, and unfortunately done with more conviction and brilliance. And when it is done right it is pure movie magic. For instance the incomparable George Steven's "Giant", or the lesser "Elephant Walk", or even the soapy yet very exciting "Naked Jungle" these are the fathers of inspiration for Baz Lurhman's "Australia".
This film is an ambitious effort that falls on its face under the weight of its director's choices to go way over the top too many times. Now don't get me wrong. I love over the top in my sweeping epics but in good and timely measures. Not from start to finish. It is just too much and becomes self-conscious and takes one out of the film experience.
The most indulgent of these choices is the casting of Nicole Kidman in the lead. She is too old and her face has changed by some sort of strange process over the last few years as to become hard and well, a little scary. But that aside her performance is not an honest one, she plays the comedy at the beginning of the film straight for laughs and that rings false. Comedy in this kind of film and with this kind of character should be played dead serious to make it work. You just don't believe her and her acting is showing all over the place.
But there were some good things about the film. The boy who the story is really about is just a natural wonder, a pure old acting soul in a child that the camera loves. Hugh Jackman delivers all that is required in the male lead and in the process is natural and believable in the "Rock Hudson - Charlton Heston" mode. The images of Australia are indeed stunning to behold and the cinematography is at times thrilling. But then she pops up in the shot with those puff lips and gives you a start.
There are those things to recommend "Australia" and on a purely visual level you might give it a try. Perhaps if you go in not excepting to love it, the film might work better for you than it did for me. On the other hand, I recommend seeing "Giant" instead to see how this genre of film can sing, zing and fly on the wings of élan.