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Though not quite on scale with "Gone With The Wind", "The Big Country" ,
"Giant" and/or "Lawrence of Arabia", "Australia" is an epic picture part love
story, part western, and part war movie! It is an old fashion movie with a very
happy ever after ending and getting to that ending is interesting with villains
to hiss and heros to cheer all wearing their black or white hats.
Hugh Jackman gets to show off his 'hunkiness' in many scenes and then turns
around and sheds a tear or two. Nicole Kidman does a good job of getting you to
dislike her at the beginning and then does just a good job getting you to like
her. Their love scenes are believable as are their fights. I am always struck by
how white and porcelain Kidman looks even when she gets down and gritty and that
little turned up nose of hers adds to her charm.
You will learn very little about Australia but you will learn more than you
knew about Aborigines and/or 'the stolen generation'--children of white and
black or indigenous people who were taken away from their parent or parents for
'their own good'.
Filmed in Australia there are some spectacular scenery shots including one
that is heart stopping of a herd of 1,500 cattle running wild at/on the edge of
a cliff.
All the acting is good including that by Brandon Walters who is the narrator
playing the young son of a Aboriginal mother and a white father--the latter
refusing to recognize him! Brandon has wide, deep black eyes with long eye
lashes that almost makes him too pretty in some scenes.
It is a long movie, about 2 hours and 35 minutes but does hold your interest
most of the time. I recommend this for a good old fashion epic love story with
'Old West' action!
