Australia

PG-13

Released Nov 26, 2008

2 hr. 45 min.

Adventure

Drama

Romance

War

Western

List

54%

222 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

With the globe on the brink of World War II, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) travels from Britain to Australia to inspect a cattle ranch she inherited. Reluctantly joining forces with a rugged local known as the Drover (Hugh Jackman), she sets out on a cattle drive across hundreds of miles of harsh terrain to save her ranch. But when they finally reach the town of Darwin, they must contend with the same Japanese bombers that just rained death upon Pearl Harbor.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Nov 07

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Australia on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

Built on lavish vistas and impeccable production, Australia is unfortunately burdened with thinly drawn characters and a lack of originality.

Read Critics Reviews

Anthony J

This movie is a classic now. Also don't miss faraway downs you'll love it if you love this one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/24

Full Review

Hayley M

Disappointing and dull... no chemistry I had high hopes for this film .... shame

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/02/23

Full Review

Andreas H

Absolutely Rubbish, cant belive i wasted 3 hours of my life on this!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/28/23

Full Review

Mr B

Some of us in the room thought it was rubbish. The director dragged it out too long, but long enough to cover three lessons worth of English. The film tried to show groups of people, and was okay for the time period. Would watch again. (Class wide review)

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/08/23

Full Review

Andrea C

Have watched this movie many times over and it does not fail to bring me to tears each time. An absolute recommend to watch at least once in your life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/23

Full Review

sydney f

It's meant to be an epic, if you take it that way - it's quite good. It's not supposed to be a modern film. The director has gone out of the way to reproduce a genre of the past in keeping with the time setting of the movie. Even the sets almost look deliberately fake like those of Darwin Harbour...like painted postcards, reminiscent of old Hollywood sets. The characters may be simplistic, but they paint just enough detail to give you a clue of what society was really like - shallow, rule-following, British and rich Australians, hell bent on persecuting, separating and targeting Aboriginal people so that they are no longer a major part of Australia. The scenes are dramatic, the bombing of Darwin is memorable. Jackman and Kidman are actually quite good, there is raw emotion in some scenes which are tragic and sad.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/18/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Baz Luhrmann

Director

Nicole Kidman

Lady Sarah Ashley

Hugh Jackman

The Drover

David Wenham

Neil Fletcher

Bryan Brown

King Carney

Jack Thompson

Kipling Flynn

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

85%

80%

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

TRAILER

for Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

42%

65%

The Four Feathers

68%

64%

The Brothers Bloom

88%

89%

News of the World

TRAILER

for News of the World

30%

52%

Nights in Rodanthe

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

RT on DVD: Exclusive Australia Scene, Beverly Hills Chihuahua and More!

Broadcast Film Critics Name Critics’ Choice Winners

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Four Christmases has a lot to be thankful for this weekend

View more photos

Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

When [Luhrmann] goes from silly to turgid in 60 seconds flat -- he punctures Australia's proportions down from epic to simply overwrought.

Rated: 2.5/5

Nov 6, 2018

Full Review

David Ansen

Newsweek

"Australia" is a shameless-and shamelessly entertaining-pastiche. It works because Luhrmann, a true believer in movie-movie magic, stamps it all with the force of his own extravagant, generous personality.

Feb 6, 2018

Full Review

Luke Buckmaster

Guardian

The effect of watching a Baz Luhrmann film is indistinguishable from the effect of having a crater-sized parcel of glitter dropped on your head.

Jan 29, 2016

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Lurhmann is noted for his post-modern speed and lighthearted spin. But such impatience doesn’t suit this story or its epic movie intent. Australia loses us from time to time, while wholly enthralling us at others. Overall, the scheme doesn’t work.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 7, 2024

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

But while Luhrmann's warts-and-all love letter to his sunburnt homeland is both a little half-baked and overdone, there's still enough invention and pure passion to ensure an entertaining, if not entirely engrossing, watch.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 15, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Manages an epic feel and an extreme runtime, though the former is oftentimes merely a result of the latter.

Rated: 5/10

Nov 28, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

With the globe on the brink of World War II, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) travels from Britain to Australia to inspect a cattle ranch she inherited. Reluctantly joining forces with a rugged local known as the Drover (Hugh Jackman), she sets out on a cattle drive across hundreds of miles of harsh terrain to save her ranch. But when they finally reach the town of Darwin, they must contend with the same Japanese bombers that just rained death upon Pearl Harbor.

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Screenwriter: Baz Luhrmann, Stuart Beattie
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Bazmark Films
Rating: PG-13 (Brief Strong Language|A Scene of Sensuality|Some Violence)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance, War, Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 26, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $49.6M

Most Popular at Home Now