Through the Eyes of a Child an Epic is Born

    "Australia," brought to us via the big screen by Director / Producer / Writer Baz Luhlmann, was epic in scale while concentrating on a pivotal time period (1938 to 1942) in the young history of the former British Colony - Australia. Many epics have been made since D.W. Griffith's "Birth of a Nation" and most have a cogent message against the backdrop of a sweeping panorama under difficult circumstances. The film "Australia" is no different.

    "Australia" concentrates on the era when most of the world was facing the threat of an imminent world war. Australia, isolated by its geography from Germany's aggression in Europe and Japan's aggression in China, appeared more as a bystander and not a combatant. That all changed when the United States' Pacific Fleet was attacked by the Empire of Japan at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Before that event, the British nation was the only bastion of freedom willing to fight the Axis Powers in the Orient as well as western Europe. What few cattle ranchers that could raise cattle in the arid northern Australia had a near monopoly on that supply of protein to feed the British Army in 1938 / 39. Darwin bovine baron, King Carney, played by Australian actor Brian Brown, and the widow, Lady Sarah Ashley, played by fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman, the owner of the adjoining ranch, Far Away Downs, were the only competing producers and therein lied the conflict for this story.

    What breathed life into this story, that needed much resolution, was that it was told in the first person of a mixed Aboriginal and Caucasian boy name Nullah, played by precocious first time actor Brandon Walters. Nullah lived his 11 years on the fringe of society: unschooled, unwanted and fatherless. Fathered by the King Carney shill, Neil Fletcher, portrayed by Australian actor David Wenham, Nullah had always lived on the expansive Far Away Downs, where he was taught the story of life by his aboriginal grandfather, King George. His Grandfather, played by Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil, guided him through the mysteries of maturation until he would be ready for his "Walkabout." The "Walkabout" would be months of exploring the Australian outback with his grandfather as he searched for "the story" of his life.

    Young Brandon Walters was outstanding as the precocious Nullah, who as a child, sought not only the answers for his life, but for those around him. He was the spark with the grist to bring the reluctant Lady Ashley to compete with King Carney to drove what cows had been scattered, by the former ranch boss Neil Fletcher, to the docks of Darwin. All she needed besides Nullah was whomever they could scrounge remaining around the ramshackle ranch not fired by Fletcher as his parting shot, and a drover to manage the cattle drive. The ranch's alcoholic and corruptible accountant, Kipling Flynn, adroitly portrayed by Australian character actor Jack Thompson, certainly was no drover, but, a man named Drover played by Australian leading man Hugh Jackman was begged by Lady Ashley to be the catalyst to her success. Do you detect the thread that all of the major actors are native Australians? I'm just surprised that Cate Blanchett, Guy Pierce, Toni Collette, Russell Crowe and the "Breaker" Edward Woodward did not perform cameos.

    Drover was rough edged and rowdy and traveled with an Aboriginal sidekick, Bull, played by Ray Barrett. There existed an immediate conflict between Lady Ashley and the rum drinking, tough talking and rather assertive Drover as there existed multiple other conflicts in search of resolutions. Conflicts such as: the competition to successfully herd cattle with the "bad guys," led by the nemesis Fletcher, at every turn against the backdrop of some rough terrain, the mixed Aboriginal Nullah as a member of Australia's "Lost Generation" and derisively known as a "Creamy," the sudden and unprovoked bombing of Darwin by the Japanese soon after their attack of Pearl Harbor, Lady Ashley's maternal instincts to bring Nullah closer to the Caucasian world, complete with "The Wizard of Oz" (period film made an impression on Nullah, especially the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow") and the Aboriginal Grandfather's drive to teach him his "own story."

    This epic, similar to the magnificent epic "Lawrence of Arabia," has the interaction of drama within the scope of a richly historical period and Cinematographer Mandy Walker's close attention to painstakingly film the beauty within a harsh environment magnifies its scale. The multiple conflicts, the cinematography within the panorama of a rough terrain, the interaction of actors, the cattle and the issue of xenophobia reminded me so much of John Ford's classic westerns and Hugh Jackman's Drover was somewhat of a homage to the late, great John Wayne. Similarly, "Australia" tells a story that is so reminiscent of the growing pains of the U.S.A. A really tough story about a decent people who eventually find their way and build a great country.

    While slowly driving a rickety truck along a rutted road in the Australian back country, Drover pronounces to Lady Ashley, "In the end all you own is your story ... I'm just trying to live a good one." This film showcased a great story told by young Nullah, and as a finely crafted film, it was entertaining and did not waist one minute of my time at nearly 3 hours of runtime. The writers of cinema history will determine if this film becomes a classic epic. I am impressed to the extent I give it 3 3/4 stars.

    Released November 26, 2008. Rated PG13.