According to a recent E! Online article (as well as a number of other reports I've come upon), Australia does not seem to be doing very well at the box office - and neither does Nicole Kidman's career. Interestingly enough, despite its blockbuster appearance and budget, the film did not do nearly as well as expected it seems...at least in America. The movie hit the top of the box office in Australia and is currently the number one film in its respective country. But critics and other moviegoers do not seem to feel the same sentiments about the film in America for some reason.
Many attribute this failure to Nicole Kidman's drastically dwindling career and performances which do not seem to stand out any longer, no matter the variation of roles she continues to play. Is this a fear that is keeping Kidman up at night? It seems as though the diminishing success of her latest film (which may be quite personal considering the plot revolves around her home country) is affecting her on one level or another after multiple articles have been published, including one from the Boston Globe which describes the film's setting as "depressingly unconvincing" at times. A recent interview (link below) on the Dave Letterman show features a very scattered Kidman who pauses awkwardly at some of Letterman's questions and seems to have no idea what's going on at various times throughout the interview.
An AP review of the film (link below) describes Australia using terms such as "repetitive", "predictable", and "self-indulgent." And the chemistry between Jackman and Kidman is likened (however unsuccessfully) to the onscreen legends of Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen. And despite his awe-inspiring performance, the half-caste boy in the film is also commented upon playing to a racial stereotype. The AP review also comments on the homage the film makes to The Wizard of Oz, declaring that you'll never want to hear the song "Over the Rainbow" again after leaving the theatre.
I found the film's strong points lay in its breathtaking cinematography and visual effects which can't be missed, no matter what one may think of the performances. I must admit Kidman's acting and chemistry with Jackman was a bit cliche and at times didn't work as successfully as director Luhrmann would have hoped for. The biggest disappointment for me was the outcome of the film after discovering they worked with an astronomical budget of $130,000,000!!! With the economy still stuck in a place similar to the Depression, I am surprised and sickened by the fact that this film's allowance wasn't put to greater use with a better script and possibly cast. I like both actors separately in their own regard but they just weren't convincing enough for my taste. Definitely a film I could have waited to Netflix.....not worth the $10 in the theatre in my opinion.
The articles/video below make some very interesting arguments in regard to Australia and are definitely worth reviewing.
Is Nicole Kidman over?
This is the article from which I titled this blog post. The E! online article presented by Yahoo discusses Kidman's performance in the film and speculates the possibility that her career may be close to over, after the repeated failure of some of her latest films.
Dave Letterman Interview
Hilarious interview with Kidman which highlights the extremely awkward moments between her and Dave, including the long, confusing pause when he asks her about her husband's music career (which she seems to know nothing about).
AP Review of Australia
Film critic Christy Lemire rips apart the film, commenting on Kidman and Jackman's lackluster performances and "self- indulgent" plot.
Australia: An Elaborate Joke
This review, which is directly out of the country of Australia, elaborates on how they absolutely detested this film on every level possible.
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