Faraway Downs

Disclaimer: I have only watched the first episode, which premiered at SXSW Sydney.

Faraway Downs is a masterful retelling of the 2008 film "Australia". In this adaptation, a young Brandon Walters is given more time to shine as brightly, if not more so, than the illustrious Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

While paying homage to the spirit of the original "Australia" from 2008, this rendition strives forward in narrative form and stylistic feature. It's a refreshing take on a well-loved tale, breathing new life into the story.

What immediately captures my attention is the exquisite cinematography. The film makes brilliant use of the 600 kilometres of footage originally captured during the production of the 2008 film, resulting in awe-inspiring visuals that skilfully weave together an uplifting presentation of place and people. The landscape becomes a character in its own right, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.

This time around, Faraway Downs takes a unique perspective, focusing more on Nullah's view, an exceptional portrayal by Brandon Walters. This shift in emphasis introduces a fresh and captivating narrative lens, providing an enticing glimpse into Nullah's storytelling.

Faraway Downs is a captivating and innovative retelling of a beloved classic. With its dedication to portraying the significance of place and people, combined with an exciting new perspective, this adaptation promises a visually stunning and thought-provoking cinematic journey. I look forward to the upcoming episodes to see how this story unfolds.

Cinematography is brilliant and would be amazing on the big screen. Star actors couldn't be bigger names and all bring a compelling presence to the screen. Are there any big surprises or twists to engage the audience? Maybe not, but it's an enjoyable series.

We're pretty spoilt these days which makes us very critical. Let's just look for the positives. It's so good to see so many great Aussie actors on the screen, none bigger than Hugh Jackman, a favourite especially for the ladies. Nicole Kidman still looks beautiful on screen. It's good to see Bryan Brown as well as others. The villain isn't hard to hate so his acting must be spot on. Overall, the acting is good and I especially liked the little boy, Nullah.

The visual aspect alone is a great advertisement for Australia and should bring a big increase in tourism.

I don't know the ending yet as only seen four episodes but I hear it differs from 'Australia' which also faced criticism.

I stand by rating of 8 despite no surprises because visually it is spectacular.

It's not as good as you would have hoped. It's got a lot of Indiana Jones type action, storyline and production. Too much Hollywood in this and it's too bad. Predictable bad guys and of course the indigenous characters are highly moral and God like. White man bad. It's probably good for fans of the Hallmark Channel since there is an obvious Love Story. The rough cowboy and the sophisticated lady. Yawn fest. It looks very saturated and there is a lot of CGI and melodramatic music. The intro music and credits music is possible the worst thing about this series. You'll want to move quickly off the credits to make it stop.

Please note - this review is from a fan of the movie 'Australia' and is expressing my point of view:

Australia is one of my fav movies to watch from time to time.

However, Far-away Downs is my new 'Australia'. Watching faraway downs, it gave the story more detail and explain the scenes in more depth that the movie doesn't show.

I'm not gonna spoil the show as it needs to be watched. Every episode draws you to the next one until the end. I like how every episode had time to explain more and the last episode esp wasn't rushed.

The true events of our country and it's history from that time are shown in a careful, respectful manner esp the subject about the stolen generation.

Baz, every movie, tv show etc to date are done with care, heart, research, attention to detail for the subject your directing to your audience.

Can't wait to see the next project :)

I absolutely loved the movie Australia. 10 out of 10 stars, so I was intrigued to see the reimagining.

The added scenes are definitely interesting and I would absolutely recommend giving this series a watch. However, while it did give more depth to the characters, it removed a lot of the mystery that made the original movie so fun in unraveling.

The biggest letdown, however, is the score. While a few new aboriginal pieces and 'Waltzing Matilda' were fun additions, the general score is atrocious and a far cry from the original. The new music is so lacking, that it detracts from the emotions on the screen, while the original score had enhanced them.

This is definitely an interesting take, but don't expect the epic feel of the original movie. This just makes for a decent tv show.