An Englishwoman (Nicole Kidman) comes to Australia in 1939 to oversee a business deal involving her inheritance of a cattle ranch. Yet when her husband is murdered she is persuaded by rival businessmen King Carney (Brian Brown) and Neil Fletcher (David Wenham) to return back to England. Resisting this, she insists with the help of a cattle herder named Drover (Hugh Jackman) to move the livestock across the harsh desert plains of Australia. She forms a romantic relationship with the drover and gradually embraces the love of a small Aboriginal child named Nullah as well.

Baz Luhrmann's much talked about and hyped epic is a lavish production, beautifully photographed by cinematographer Mandy Walker, to capture the landscape and allure of the Australian outback. The superb camerawork artfully captures the sweeping plains and deserts in such a way that you will wish that many of the shots were held on slightly longer. From the opening title card of the film however – despite having an Australian cast and director – it is obvious that the film is intended for American audiences. We are informed of what the Stolen Generation was, as well the attacks on Darwin by the Japanese. It feels like a very simplified way of expressing these events rather than allowing the audience to see them on screen for themselves and recognise what is happening.

Structurally the film also resembles a Hollywood blockbuster too.  There are merely heroes in villains in the story – like Brian Brown's Carney – and we have no doubt that good will eventually triumph evil. A climatic battle scene involving the bombing of Darwin provides the film with the razzle dazzle of epic war films gone by. Though the film has no shame in this given the way it imitates Hollywood ****cs like The African Queen and references others such as The Wizard of Oz. There are few surprise in the story, particularly in the relationship between Drover and Lady Ashley. As an Australian film I would have liked to have seen a less conventional story, with fewer clichés and a much slower pace to the opening of the film. Luhrmann's direction – and theatrical background - rushes through the film's opening scenes and exposition, skimping through the details of the takeover plot of the land.

A more precise and patient film would have given the actors more time to express who their characters really were, as opposed to many of the cartoon and two-dimensional personalities, like Jack Thompson as an alcoholic accountant. Again this cartoonish and simplistic way of drawing Australian personalities as Bogans and bar fighting thugs, along with repetition of phrases like "crikey", seems to appeal to a more American audience, who may not have a sense of Australia apart from these caricatures and stereotypes.

Nicole Kidman's offers a strange performance, one bordering on comedic at times – whether this is intentional or not remains to be seen – but her accent and overwrought mannerisms as the English aristocrat are at times jarring and awkward. Hugh Jackman is a much more likeable lead and his appearance as the rugged Drover is also more believable. Still he could have at least been given a real name apart from Drover. One of the more surprising actors is the Aboriginal child Brandon Walters as Nullah, who offers a warmth and sweetness to the film, providing it with humour and at times a sentimental touch. Other critics have questioned the films political correctness and the paradox of Kidman's character – a woman who is against racism but is willing to try to adopt an Aboriginal child and dress him in Western clothing. The film's final scene attempts to redeem this unusual contradiction in the story somewhat. Audiences may find themselves divided on this; though others are more likely to ignore this subtext and relish the film as an action blockbuster.

Even at a length running time of nearly three hours, the film is still well paced and there are stunning set pieces to enjoy. If you take it for what it is – an action and adventure film – rather than the cinematic masterpiece it would like to be – Australia is flawed but still very watchable.

3/5.