Usually I've formed an opinion, good or bad, about a film by the time I'm halfway through it, but in the case of 'Australia', even after sitting through nearly three hours of it and writing this review several days later, I'm still very much 'on the fence' about what I saw.
There are some things I liked about this film. It's wacky and (very) out-there, which always earns bonus points from me. However it achieves it, 'Australia' is a very entertaining film that mixed multiple genres with some degree of success. The characters are fun and eccentric, a little annoying at times, but on this I'll give the film the benefit of the doubt.
Now for the problems - and there are many. 'Australia' really is a mess. I don't even think the filmmakers knew what they wanted out of this film. The storyline and direction is all over the place - one minute it's a slapstick comedy, the next a soppy romance, and then a tense war drama... all in one film.
You can call 'Australia' many things, but boring isn't one of them. Even at nearly three hours, there's always something happening in the film to keep you interested. For all its flaws, there is a lot to like about this film. After all, this is the entertainment business, and 'Australia' certainly fits that bill.
There are some things I liked about this film. It's wacky and (very) out-there, which always earns bonus points from me. However it achieves it, 'Australia' is a very entertaining film that mixed multiple genres with some degree of success. The characters are fun and eccentric, a little annoying at times, but on this I'll give the film the benefit of the doubt.
Now for the problems - and there are many. 'Australia' really is a mess. I don't even think the filmmakers knew what they wanted out of this film. The storyline and direction is all over the place - one minute it's a slapstick comedy, the next a soppy romance, and then a tense war drama... all in one film.
You can call 'Australia' many things, but boring isn't one of them. Even at nearly three hours, there's always something happening in the film to keep you interested. For all its flaws, there is a lot to like about this film. After all, this is the entertainment business, and 'Australia' certainly fits that bill.