Back to the Outback

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2:29

Back to the Outback

PG

2021

1h 32m

Kids & Family

Comedy

Adventure

Animation

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like they're monsters, a ragtag group of Australia's deadliest creatures plot a daring escape from their zoo to the Outback, a place where they'll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs. Leading the group is Maddie (Isla Fisher), a poisonous snake with a heart of gold, who bands together with a self-assured Thorny Devil lizard Zoe (Miranda Tapsell), a lovelorn hairy spider Frank (Guy Pearce), and a sensitive scorpion Nigel (Angus Imrie). But when their nemesis -- Pretty Boy (Tim Minchin), a cute but obnoxious koala -- unexpectedly joins their escape, Maddie and the gang have no choice but to take him with them. So begins a hair-raising and hilarious road trip across Australia, as they are pursued by a zookeeper Chaz (Eric Bana) and his adventure-seeking mini-me (Diesel La Torraca). Directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, and also featuring the voices of Rachel House, Keith Urban, Celeste Barber, Wayne Knight, Lachlan Power, and Jacki Weaver, BACK TO THE OUTBACK is an animated adventure that proves just because something's different, doesn't mean it isn't beautiful.

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Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

Gorgeous character design and some delightful voice performances elevate this uneven CGI romp in which a bunch of "ugly" Australian animals break out of a zoo and head for the outback.

Dec 11, 2021

Full Review

Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

The slapstick is seasoned with some dryly laconic jokes and a lot of wit has gone into the score, which ranges from surfing hits to Charles Aznavour.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 11, 2021

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

There's just too little fresh creative passion here in a project that's sometimes sweet but also remarkably programmatic.

Rated: 2/4

Dec 10, 2021

Full Review

Mat Brunet

AniMat's Review (YouTube)

Back to the Outback is probably a cute adventure for children, but outside of that, its just a generically forgettable animated kids film.

Rated: 5/10

Feb 16, 2022

Full Review

John Serba

Decider

Back to the Outback is an adequate time-waster for young audiences, even if it's not particularly original or funny. Parents won't quite need to shoot themselves with a tranq dart to survive it, but it probably wouldn't hurt.

Dec 20, 2021

Full Review

Rendy Jones

Rendy Reviews

An endearing and charming animated feature that pays tribute to the continent it's set in while providing an enriching tale of not judging a book by its cover.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 10, 2021

Full Review

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Vivienne G

Loved this movie. It was refreshing to watch a movie without any alterior motives. Just a lovely story and so good to watch with my children. I highly recommend it and hope they make more like it!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/25

Full Review

Hayleigh P.

This movie was too cute! The end made it even better.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/25

Full Review

Igor S

Underrated animated movie. It's extremely funny and has a ton of good lessons and heart at the center of it. One thing that disappointed me, and could ruin the movie for some people, is a scene where they destroy a nest in order to cross a river or something. I mean, this is a movie about lost family and family in general; these characters are all like orphans or once lost children. You would think they would be more compassionate and careful when it comes to those eggs and nest. It kind of goes against all the good messages the movie is showcasing. I still recommend it tho, if you ignore that quick moment i mentioned.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/24/25

Full Review

Jacob M

¡ES HERMOSA! esta película nos deja una gran enseñanza, ademas esta película animo muy bien a Maddie, la aventura aveces es un poquito aburrida pero de resto genial, le podría dar un 4.5 por eso del aburrimiento pero no, es muy hermosa tanto en la enseñanza como en la trama de la película, y la protagonista Maddie es hermosa también.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

Full Review

Shanna C

This is NOT a movie for young kids. There is a lot of adult references and it’s rather inappropriate and I don’t recommend it.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

05/11/25

Full Review

Jeff B

Bright, well-paced, and entertaining. We really enjoyed this movie. The plot is simple and the characters are easy to root for. Visually the movie is vibrant and well put together. The ONLY reason I wouldn’t give 5/5 is because of the few (I mean few) adult sexual innuendos that are sprinkled in. It’s not egregious, but it just doesn’t have a place in a children’s film and doesn’t add anything to the movie. But overall, it’s an excellent kids film that I think is a hit.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/08/25

Full Review

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Clare Knight

Director

Harry Cripps

Director

Isla Fisher

Maddie

Tim Minchin

Pretty Boy

Eric Bana

Chaz

Guy Pearce

Frank

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Back to the Outback: Trailer 1

2:29

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Synopsis

Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like they're monsters, a ragtag group of Australia's deadliest creatures plot a daring escape from their zoo to the Outback, a place where they'll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs. Leading the group is Maddie (Isla Fisher), a poisonous snake with a heart of gold, who bands together with a self-assured Thorny Devil lizard Zoe (Miranda Tapsell), a lovelorn hairy spider Frank (Guy Pearce), and a sensitive scorpion Nigel (Angus Imrie). But when their nemesis -- Pretty Boy (Tim Minchin), a cute but obnoxious koala -- unexpectedly joins their escape, Maddie and the gang have no choice but to take him with them. So begins a hair-raising and hilarious road trip across Australia, as they are pursued by a zookeeper Chaz (Eric Bana) and his adventure-seeking mini-me (Diesel La Torraca). Directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, and also featuring the voices of Rachel House, Keith Urban, Celeste Barber, Wayne Knight, Lachlan Power, and Jacki Weaver, BACK TO THE OUTBACK is an animated adventure that proves just because something's different, doesn't mean it isn't beautiful.

Director: Clare Knight, Harry Cripps
Producer: Daniela Mazzucato
Screenwriter: Harry Cripps
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: Weed Road Pictures, Netflix Animation, Reel FX Creative Studios
Rating: PG (Rude/Suggestive Material|Action)
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 3, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 10, 2021
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos

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