Being an Aussie, I was a little apprehensive about Baz Luhrmann's latest film, Australia. Not only has the marketing machine been in overdrive, giving this film a little too much hype, but by having our country's name as the title, Luhrmann was putting a lot of pressure on himself to make a film that reflected us, our values, our lifestyle. Or at least one that reflected who we were back in the late '30s and early '40s. So it was with this apprehension that I headed along to the cinema. And I am pleased to say that Luhrmann has not disappointed.

Starring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, Australia is an epic love story set in far Northern Australia against the backdrop of the second world war. As the film opens, a young half-aboriginal boy, Nullah (Brandon Walters), tells us the story of how Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) came to Australia. It is done in true Luhrmann style and feels almost like a comedy until Lady Ashley learns of her husband's death and the fact that her estate manager is stealing from them. In order to save her Australian property, Faraway Downs, she enlists the help of Drover (Jackman) and a makeshift band of cattle herders (which includes Nullah) to drive 1500 cattle to Darwin. As the long journey gets underway the sparks between Drover and Lady Ashley begin to fly, and Lady Ashley's affection for young Nullah grows. Despite the attempts by their competitor to stop their drove and a harsh Australian outback to contend with, the team arrives in Darwin. But this is only the beginning of the story.

Luhrmann has packed so much into this film it's almost too big, with almost too much going on. Being such a great director, though, he manages to pull it off and makes the film work. Just to give you an idea, there's the cattle drive, the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese, the authorities' attempts to put Nullah on Mission Island, the rival cattle herders trying to buy Lady Ashley out, the elusive figure of King George watching over his grandson, Nullah's struggle with being neither white nor full-blooded aboriginal, and so on.

Running through all these elements, though, is the relationship between Drover and Lady Ashley and also Nullah. This is first and foremost a love story. As Lady Ashley comes to terms with the Aussie outback and Drover learns to stop running, they begin to create their story. At the start of the film Nullah says he's got to tell the story. Drover tells Lady Ashley that he lives on the land with almost nothing because all that matters is his story, not what possessions or status he has. Nullah's grandfather, King George, embodies the story of the Dreamtime and the way of life for an aboriginal.

Stories are an essential part of Aboriginal culture and history, and so Luhrmann has also made this idea of story the centrepiece for Australia. It's our story, not our possessions, that defines who we are. It's our connection to and relationship with others that drives our story. And sometimes, as Nullah says, we have to get lost to find out who we are.

Australia may not be the best epic romance ever made, but it's certainly well worth the admission price. The landscape of the far North of Australia makes for some breath-taking scenery and Nullah is bound to steal the hearts of many. While many of the Dreamtime references to rainbow serpents and some distinctly Aussie sayings may be lost on non-Australian audiences, there's plenty there to enjoy.

And as you leave the cinema after enduring this almost 3-hour marathon, consider your own story. Maybe it's time you got lost in order to find out who you really are.