Rating of
3/4
Down under (and out)
kcvidkid - wrote on 12/16/08
Although I wanted very much to see Baz Luhrmann's latest, I was afraid that it might stray too far from his signature style. I mean, really, what is "Romeo + Juliet" or "Moulin Rouge" without its unique visual and musical approach?
"Australia" starts out quirky enough; Luhrmann's fingerprint is obvious. And it is gorgeous throughout. But at some point it strays by becoming too "ordinary".
I was even squirming in my seat until the cattle drive (a very exciting sequence), after which point it felt like the movie was over, even though it didn't seem like enough time had passed. Sure enough, the epic was only half way through. And I'm not sure the final climax was as good as this first one.
Why must there always be a child (or children) to evoke sympathy for the characters or their situations (see "The Day the Earth Stood Still"). It seems cheap and formulaic, and I've grown weary of it.
Skin Rating = 2 (out of 4). Only a couple shots of Hugh Jackman shirtless, but one of them is extended. I forget how incredibly hot his body is.
