Review of Australia (2008) by Maggie M — 07 Apr 2011

Australia's first problem is that it could never have possibly have lived up to all of the hype surrounding the film. Then with a stiff script, tiresome love story, and plot that seemed a bit all over the place, you could only be left feeling a tad disappointed. That said, the sheer beauty of the film is astounding. Luhrmann has captured our sunburnt country so stunningly. Visually it is a masterpiece, and the costumes are to die for. Plot-wise, the film makes ground towards the end. It's unfortunate the rest of the storyline is so drawn out, as the drama surrounding the invasion of Darwin proves the most riveting, and provides the best acting.

Still, 4 stars out of 5, even despite the films drawbacks I was glued to the screen until the end, and felt a little more sense of pride to be Australian.