I had the misfortune of watching Australia as a guest of a client. I didn't want to appear ungrateful, so I had to point my reluctant head at the screen for the duration of this horrible thing.
I have always found Nicole Kidman attractive, so I thought I'd at least enjoy looking at her. I instead dreaded her appearance from start to finish. I'm not a violent person, but found my innate slap reflex trying to fight its way to the surface.
She shrieks, she howls, she gasps, she pants, she swoons, she natters, she nearly faints at the sight of each character as they are introduced. Upon seeing her dead husband (Not a spoiler, it's over with immediately), she somehow forgets to do much of anything at all. I get that she's supposed to be prissy, but the part is painfully overacted.
A seemingly oversensitive warning at the beginning tells Aboriginal Australians they may see or hear a family member, so should exercise caution. Then, shortly into the movie, we're introduced to a Chinese character who is miles beyond stereotypical. I was completely insulted. The Aborigines are not given even the slightest shred of dignity. They're clownish fools who hide in the water tower, as if the Costco sized house afforded no hiding places.
It's a slapstick comedy where people die gruesome deaths. It's a western, where the lighting makes everyone look like they're in Mary Poppins. If this stinker doesn't kill the careers of everyone from the director to the water boy, it'll be a miracle.
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I have always found Nicole Kidman attractive, so I thought I'd at least enjoy looking at her. I instead dreaded her appearance from start to finish. I'm not a violent person, but found my innate slap reflex trying to fight its way to the surface.
She shrieks, she howls, she gasps, she pants, she swoons, she natters, she nearly faints at the sight of each character as they are introduced. Upon seeing her dead husband (Not a spoiler, it's over with immediately), she somehow forgets to do much of anything at all. I get that she's supposed to be prissy, but the part is painfully overacted.
A seemingly oversensitive warning at the beginning tells Aboriginal Australians they may see or hear a family member, so should exercise caution. Then, shortly into the movie, we're introduced to a Chinese character who is miles beyond stereotypical. I was completely insulted. The Aborigines are not given even the slightest shred of dignity. They're clownish fools who hide in the water tower, as if the Costco sized house afforded no hiding places.
It's a slapstick comedy where people die gruesome deaths. It's a western, where the lighting makes everyone look like they're in Mary Poppins. If this stinker doesn't kill the careers of everyone from the director to the water boy, it'll be a miracle.
0