Everyone remembers Crocodile Dundee - the Australia - themed movie that starred Paul Hogan and educated a generation on Australian colloquialisms. Joy of the outback tells that movie enticed the world to visit Australia. The government is hoping the new movie, Australia, will do the same thing 25 years later.
Cruel review drive Nicole from Sydney tells that the actress who plays Lady Ashley in the flick has been devastated by the negative reviews from Australia and abroad. Curiously much of the criticism is whether she had cosmetic surgery. (What difference does it make?) Epic Australia: too much of everything tells that the Australian film industry attempted to make the movie too much - everything is overemphasized. That can be wearying in an almost 3 hour epic.
I am not a film critic, and I have learned to never publicly criticize anyone or anything because inevitably I will sit next to that person on my next flight or otherwise have to personally defend my criticism. (God has a special pattern for humbling me.)
The scenery is gorgeous - tourists will indeed be tempted to visit Australia. In the movie, Lady Ashley travels to Australia in order to force the sale of her outback ranch. Circumstances occur that change her heart and she decides to make the ranch a success. A thread running throughout the movie concerns the early Australian racism toward the aborigines. This occupies the Lady Ashley and her lover/rescuer - the Drover, as they attempt to protect a young boy from Australian authorities and others with hate in their heart.
It is a long flick, and a bit predictable. However, it is entertaining and provides a different perspective of life. The sound track is terrific, and the acting (despite the reviews) is big-film quality. (Now I will not have to sit next to Nicole Kidman on my next flight.)
Australia is a significant thread in my new novel, Butterflies Escape, and this post's title can be applied differently, as will soon be published.
Comments