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.

I have an aversion to WWII "stuff" and that's how I originally viewed this from the ads. But then my curiosity of Australia took over and won, so I reluctantly watched it.

Oh my.

This is obviously compared to the movie it is based on, "Australia". And I did watch that! I remember from a few poignant and powerful scenes from Faraway Downs. Brilliant in "Australia". Brilliant in "FD".

This is not too long nor "too" anything. This is an in-depth series that, if you let it, will take your breath away many times, and will replace it with something much stronger.

The cinematography is outrageous! And they have invited us to join them on this journey which isn't always pretty or nice or kind. But it's real and it's heart opening thanks to an ensemble of excellent actors who were brave enough to share their world - the good and the bad - with us.

I hope you enjoy it just a little bit. :)

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.

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.

I missed the original movie, but this series caught my attention from a year studying abroad in Australia. The scenery is beautiful. The story had me looking up different events in Australian history, which to me is always a good thing when a show draws a viewer to research the actual history.

Loved Nicole Kidman & Hugh Jackman in their roles. Bryan Brown & David Wenham do a great job at making you dislike their characters. David Gulpilil and. Brandon Williams are wonderful in showing aspects of Aboriginal culture. The actors all do a great job at bringing their characters to life.

I enjoyed the cinematography and most of the musical accompaniment. All in all a very enjoyable watch.