Australia (2008)

DVD CASE/ SIDE

Length of film:  165 Minutes 

Rated: 12A   

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Ben Mendelsohn, Shea Adams , Bryan Brown, Brandon Walters

IMDB Rank: 6.6/10

Part 1 Time: 107 Minutes 

Part 2 Time:  58 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Fletcher (David Wenham) returns to Faraway Downs with the intention to make Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) sell her cattle station.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “The drover mustn’t know,” Lady Sarah Ashley states to Brandy Legs (Lillian Crombie) following Fletcher’s departure.

First line of dialogue on the second part: Nullah (Brandon Walters) shouts, “Drover! It’s Drover.”

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Jaring, Fletcher reveals that he was the actual murderer of Lady Sarah Ashley’s husband and that he is also Nullah’s father. He threatens Nullah’s safety unless Lady Sarah sells her cattle station. Will Lady Sarah Ashley bow down to Fletcher’s demands?

Which part is better? The film takes place between 1939-1942 and explores various events across northern Australia, such as the bombing of Darwin and the assimilation of Indigenous Australians. Part two is better as it concludes Nullah’s narrative and showcases the bombing of Darwin.

Academy Awards: 2009- Best Achievement in Costume Design (Nominated)