A retelling of Baz Lurhmann's enjoyable "Australia", a 2008 epic that was always going to buckle under the enormous weight of expectation, in six parts. A director's cut, writ large.
"Welcome to Australia," says Hugh Jackman's brawl-loving, straight-talking drover. Or Mr. Drover, as Nicole Kidman's Lady Sarah Ashley thinks he is called. Lady Ashley is a high-born Englishwoman who has ventured to Australia in search of her husband (who it seems might not have been entirely faithful to her whilst in the Great Southern Land) and to sell their enormous cattle property (bigger than Belgium, someone remarks) Faraway Downs.
The opening episode, set on the eve of World War Two, is full of sweeping outback shots, scenes in the lively Northern Territory capital of Darwin, harsh Australian accents and phraseology, and introduces us to characters like the Drover, Sarah, David Wenham's slimy Fletcher, the czar of Territory cattle operations 'King' Carney (played by Aussie veteran Bryan Brown) and Brandon Walters as the Aboriginal boy Nullah, who narrates the episode and is arguably it's most engaging.
Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
"Welcome to Australia," says Hugh Jackman's brawl-loving, straight-talking drover. Or Mr. Drover, as Nicole Kidman's Lady Sarah Ashley thinks he is called. Lady Ashley is a high-born Englishwoman who has ventured to Australia in search of her husband (who it seems might not have been entirely faithful to her whilst in the Great Southern Land) and to sell their enormous cattle property (bigger than Belgium, someone remarks) Faraway Downs.
The opening episode, set on the eve of World War Two, is full of sweeping outback shots, scenes in the lively Northern Territory capital of Darwin, harsh Australian accents and phraseology, and introduces us to characters like the Drover, Sarah, David Wenham's slimy Fletcher, the czar of Territory cattle operations 'King' Carney (played by Aussie veteran Bryan Brown) and Brandon Walters as the Aboriginal boy Nullah, who narrates the episode and is arguably it's most engaging.
Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.
