Australia, the epic and romantic action adventure directed by Australian writer-director Baz Luhrmann, is a movie you either love or hate. Some have waxed lyrical over it with words like “spectacular”, “awesome” and “wow”.

Others were not so generous with their comments. They said the three-hour movie was too long with too many unnecessary scenes, was full of clichés, and came off wimpy at certain parts.

I thought it was spectacular – the breath-taking scenery, the ruggedness that is Australia’s Outback, the myths surrounding the Aboriginal culture, the adventure and rough and tough drovers, cattle stampedes and the re-creations of World War II bombing raids.

Call me sentimental but I even fell for the rather soppy lovey-dovey scenes between the delectable Nicole Kidman and hunky Hugh Jackman (pictured left), and the often-wimpy tear-jerking scenes between the former and child star, Brandon Walters. who portrayed Nullah, the character around whom much of Australia is plotted.

The movie made me want to revisit Australia, to go on a “walkabout” and, maybe, stand at the spot where the scene of Jackman pouring cold water over his bare muscled body was shot. Well, a girl can fantasise, right?

(“Walkabout” is a tradition that is unique to, and deeply rooted in ancient Aboriginal culture and describes how Aboriginals return to the bush for spiritual replenishment – a time when they re-connect with their traditional way of life, the land and their ancient rites and customs.)

There was nothing I didn’t like about the movie – it has everything an “epic” has – history, adventure, romance, comedy, action, villains, heroes, culture, and even social injustices against the aborigines in the early part of the Century. Brings to mind the other great Australian epic, The Thornbirds

I did not find the three hours too long, despite a strained neck being assigned a seat in the first row (I could see every pore on both Kidman’s and Jackman’s faces). Luhrmann’s magic makes you forget time.

Whatever the reviews or comments, one thing is for sure. Luhrmann has succeeded in attracting attention to both Australia the movie and Australia the country through his lavish presentation of the country.

The US$130 million movie portrays Australia as a transformational, adventurous and romantic destination. Its key themes are the Outback, romance, Aboriginal culture, adventure, and journeys, and was shot on location in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

As Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, Penny Williams, said at the movie’s premiere in Kuala Lumpur last month, “For thousands of years Aboriginal people have gone ‘walkabout’ to reconnect with the land and their traditional way of life. I know that Tourism Australia has adopted this idea of reconnection and rediscovery to encourage visitors to Australia to take their own ‘walkabout’. I hope the movie does inspire you to take a journey of your own to Australia, whether it is to see the wonderful scenery or to discover Indigenous culture, or for any of the other great reasons to travel to Australia.”

Tourism Australia has latched on this concept of “Transformation” to create its new destination campaign.

Maggie White, Tourism Australia’s General Manager, South/Southeast Asia & The Gulf Countries, said, “The need to create urgency and fashionability around a country’s ‘brand’ is stronger than ever and we need to consistently keep our marketing fresh and compelling.

“The themes of romance and adventure, coupled with the power of the Australian land and people to transform, will resonate in the tourism campaign, as it does in the film.”

White added that Tourism Australia will leverage on the excitement and publicity generated about the movie, Australia and provide opportunities for our trade partners to help them promote and sell the destination.

A press release by Tourism Australia highlights some campaign facts:

• Luhrmann, and his Bazmark production team produced this special destination campaign for Tourism Australia.
• The campaign will run in all Tourism Australia’s major markets around the world from October 2008 until mid 2009.
• It is a special campaign that’s being made to take advantage of a special opportunity and to address the difficult times that tourism faces globally.
• Tourism Australia’s objective from this campaign is that it will ensure Australia reaches its forecast growth rate of 3.2 percent in international arrivals in 2009 and halts the predicated decline in domestic travel within Australia.
• The campaign was conceived by Luhrmann to be completely stand-alone. However Tourism Australia has also entered into a promotional partnership with Twentieth Century Fox to leverage on the movie.
• Combined, these two projects represent the bulk, but not the whole, of Tourism Australia’s marketing for 2008/2009.
• Tourism Australia is investing around A$40 million in the ad campaign and around A$10 million on promotional opportunities around the movie.
• Tourism Australia will develop a more long-term campaign for release in mid- to late 2009. This will be developed by its agency DDB Worldwide.

Time will tell if Australia the movie will drive hordes of curious visitors to Australia to savour the romance and adventure and to go on “walkabout”. Whatever, the interest in Australia has been rekindled with this movie.

One thing’s for sure, Australia will see me soon.

– Corinne Wan