Audiences and critics are divided on the merits of Baz Luhrmann’s Faraway Downs, a six-part miniseries starring Hugh Jackman that expands the story told in the panned 2008 drama Australia. While general TV consumers enjoy the 2023 Hulu series, critics feel it’s a bloated and unnecessary addendum to the underwhelming 2008 historical epic. Of course, critics aren’t always right, and in the case of Faraway Downs, they missed the mark.
A deeply personal tale for Luhrmann, Faraway Downs effectively functions as a corrective director’s cut, allowing the venerated Australian visionary to tell the story as he sees fit. The qualitative results are more in line with the audience’s reception than the critics’ cynical dismissal, putting Australia on par with the hit series Yellowstone and, even better, akin to what Quentin Tarantino did with The Hateful Eight. Critics need to check the pulse of what appeals to non-critics and reassess Faraway Downs at once.
What Is ‘Australia’ About?
Released in 2008, Australia is the fourth feature film by Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, following Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge! Set between 1939 and 1942, the story concerns Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), an English noble who inherits a massive cattle ranch in Faraway Downs, Australia. Following the death of her husband, Lady Sarah finds an ally in Drover (Hugh Jackman), who agrees to escort her and 2,000 cows to Faraway Downs.
As others try to finagle the cattle ranch from Lady Sarah’s grasp during their pilgrimage, the outbreak of WWII threatens everything. Drover and Lady Sarah must test their resolve when the Japanese bomb Darwin, Australia, months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As they continue to traverse the unforgiving landscapes with war on the outskirts (including an Australian walkabout), Drover and Lady Sarah meet Nullah (Brandon Walters), a half-aboriginal who helps them fight, escape, and find safety.
Similar to Faraway Downs, Australia received mediocre critical reviews. The movie holds a 54% Rotten Tomatoes Rating and a 65% Audience Score. Australia marked the lowest-rated Luhrmann movie up to then, leading to a five-year absence until his all-time lowest movie, The Great Gatsby, was released in 2013. While the critics were on point with Gatsby, Australia is improved with Faraway Downs.
‘Australia: Faraway Downs’ Premise, Explained
Much like Quentin Tarantino did with his revisionist Western The Hateful Eight, Faraway Downs is an extended director’s cut of the film. With the creative freedom to tell the story as he originally envisioned it, Baz Luhrmann carefully curated what worked in the movie and what didn’t and made the requisite changes to make the best possible version of the story.
No longer beholden to a 165-minute runtime that the movie was hamstrung by, Luhrmann can take his time, pace the plotting as he sees fit, and give the sprawling historical epic the vastness it deserves. With six episodes of 25–50 minutes apiece, Faraway Downs clocks in at roughly 220 minutes, nearly an hour longer than the movie.
Scenes are no longer rushed or compressed but are given enough room to breathe and unfold naturally according to the country’s history. Everything Luhrmann wanted to keep in the movie but had to cut for time and pacing has been reinserted into the miniseries for a far more complete and satisfying result. While critics and audiences agree that Faraway Downs improves on Australia, the former still haven’t bestowed Luhrmann the cinematic storytelling (even on the small screen) credit he deserves.
Why Critics Missed the Mark on ‘Faraway Downs’
Even more polarizing than Australia (54% critics vs 65% audience), Faraway Downs has been received better by general TV watchers. The show has a 56% Tomatometer Score (critics) and 81% Popcornmeter Score (audience), indicating broad appeal among non-critics. Detractors claim the show is too long and necessarily pads the runtime, with RT’s critical consensus stating:
As a movie enthusiast, I found ‘Faraway Downs’ intriguing as an experiment by Baz Luhrmann, but his revisiting of Australia didn’t manage to rectify its previous flaws while only adding to its excessive length.
One person’s “bloat” is another’s rich character development, with an articulate Rotten Tomatoes user review declaring:
“As gorgeous and epic as the original film, but with more time for characters to react to their dramatic situations before some new plot point comes along. Also fills in certain confusing gaps and beefs up the roles of the minor characters a bit. Absolutely worth a watch if you loved the first film or if you’ve never seen it.”
User Alex C agrees, adding:
“I’m not sure why the critics disliked this one so much. I thought it worked great as a series, allowing the epic the breathing room and pacing that it needed. I also enjoyed the framing around Nullah’s perspective and the added scenes really helped draw me into the world of the story. Then of course there’s the excellent cast and spectacular cinematography. I’d recommend it to anyone who asks.”
For all the effusive praise heaped on the American Western soap opera Yellowstone, a critical darling with an 83% RT rating, it’s strange how Australia has been panned. Both series showcase the racist sins of each country’s past and the measures taken to right them, led by Oscar-caliber movie stars. Perhaps more timely than ever, critics should reassess Faraway Downs and recognize the improvements it makes to Australia 15 years later. Faraway Downs is available to stream on Hulu.
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2025-03-16 18:38