"Australia" Film Critique Essay
Film Critique Essay
The film, “Australia” (2008), opens with a scenic backdrop as well as information on pre-World War II and its effect on Australia, specifically in the northern area. The film then transitions to the issue of Stolen Generations- the attempt of ‘whites’ to send mixed aboriginal children to mission homes on far islands to phase out their culture, setting the stage for the many complications and dramatic events in line to take motion. With the main characters of Lady Sarah Ashley, an English aristocrat who inherits her husband’s ranch, and Drover, the cattle driver who reluctantly aggress to join forces to protect her property, attempt to herd about two thousand cattle hundreds of miles across the dangerous outback (called the “Never Never”) of Australia and into Darwin. After achieving their accomplishment to save Lady Ashley’s ranch and years spent together rebuilding the property as a family, they are shocked to witness the bombing of their city, Darwin, by Japanese forces—who prior to bombing Darwin, launched attack on Pearl Harbor. Lady Ashley, Drover, and their newfound love for each other and in a mixed aboriginal child, Nullah, are separated due to their disagreements and left to find one another after the vicious bombs are dropped.
Historically the film is set during the time period of 1939-1942, containing some accurate points in history, but in realistic terms, the accuracy dwindles. First off, there was in fact a policy set by Australian government to capture “half-caste” aboriginal children from their parents, initially to protect from abandonment, but developed into prejudice as their purpose transitioned into “[breeding] the black out of them”. Another accurate scene in the film is the air raids of Darwin in 1942, with the citizens caught flat-footed and defenseless against the continuous bombs. The Japanese left the city of Darwin in ruins and despair with many innocent people left to die. In addition, the aboriginal language,
The film, “Australia” (2008), opens with a scenic backdrop as well as information on pre-World War II and its effect on Australia, specifically in the northern area. The film then transitions to the issue of Stolen Generations- the attempt of ‘whites’ to send mixed aboriginal children to mission homes on far islands to phase out their culture, setting the stage for the many complications and dramatic events in line to take motion. With the main characters of Lady Sarah Ashley, an English aristocrat who inherits her husband’s ranch, and Drover, the cattle driver who reluctantly aggress to join forces to protect her property, attempt to herd about two thousand cattle hundreds of miles across the dangerous outback (called the “Never Never”) of Australia and into Darwin. After achieving their accomplishment to save Lady Ashley’s ranch and years spent together rebuilding the property as a family, they are shocked to witness the bombing of their city, Darwin, by Japanese forces—who prior to bombing Darwin, launched attack on Pearl Harbor. Lady Ashley, Drover, and their newfound love for each other and in a mixed aboriginal child, Nullah, are separated due to their disagreements and left to find one another after the vicious bombs are dropped.
Historically the film is set during the time period of 1939-1942, containing some accurate points in history, but in realistic terms, the accuracy dwindles. First off, there was in fact a policy set by Australian government to capture “half-caste” aboriginal children from their parents, initially to protect from abandonment, but developed into prejudice as their purpose transitioned into “[breeding] the black out of them”. Another accurate scene in the film is the air raids of Darwin in 1942, with the citizens caught flat-footed and defenseless against the continuous bombs. The Japanese left the city of Darwin in ruins and despair with many innocent people left to die. In addition, the aboriginal language,