Australia is known for quite a few things. Fantastic beaches, friendly people, incredibly rich culture, and incredible nature. What many don’t associate with Australia, is film culture. However, there are quite a few great films that are set in Australia. Some might even surprise you. So, in this article, we are taking a look at some great movies that take place in the Land Down Under.

The Crocodile Dundee Franchise

Starring one of Australia’s most famous actors of the 20^th century, Paul Hogan, the Crocodile Dundee franchise follows the story of the veteran crocodile hunter, Mick Dundee. The original action/comedy film, released in 1986, was the highest grossing film in Australia at the time, and held that title for 11 weeks. Eventually dethroned by E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Crocodile Dundee remains a classic to this day. The film spawned two sequels, which did not achieve the same level of fame, though are still considered cult classics by some.

The Mad Max Franchise

Mad Max is one of the most beloved action/sci-fi film franchises in history. But, it is easy for many to forget that it all started with Australian filmmaker, George Miller’s 1979 low-budget film, Mad Max. Set in a world where the police have barely any power and criminal bands of bikers run rampant, it is impossible to undermine the importance of this film. It has inspired comic books, film, television, manga, and so much more.

In the Mad Max sequels, the sci-fi is revved up even further. Crime is a fun pastime, murder is sport, and law and order are all but erased. In this world, the titular Max navigates car crime lords, gladiators, and post-apocalyptic casinos. After all, we all know how much Australians love their casinos. The iGaming industry is booming in the country, with more people signing up for apps and websites than ever before. Luckily, Australian online casino reviews make it safer than ever to find a safe and secure website.

The latest installment in the Mad Max series, Fury Road, saw Tom Hardy take the role of Max in a diesel-punk inspired world ruled by the half-man/half-machine tyrant, Immortan Joe. The film was a great success and revived interest in the franchise.

The Babadook

The horror genre has not been treated fairly in popular culture for a long time. Often sequestered to the “genre ghetto”, many excellent horror films have gone underappreciated throughout the centuries. That all began to change with Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut film, The Babadook.

The supernatural horror film tells the story of a widow and her son, who become victim to a monstrous spirit called the Babadook. The two attempt to survive their encounters with the entity, while retaining their own sanity.

The Babadook deals with psychological topics like depression, PTSD, grief, and trauma. Rather than relying on jump scares or spooky costumes, the film looks at the source of real life fear, and transforms it into a physical monster that one could combat. It has been called one of the greatest modern horror films, and for a long time was the best reviewed horror film on aggregator sites like Rotten Tomatoes.

Finding Nemo

Perhaps one of Pixar’s most popular and beloved films, Finding Nemo is the story of a young clownfish taken from the Great Barrier Reef and placed inside a young child’s aquarium. Nemo’s father, Marlin must track down his son and return him to one of Australia’s biggest attractions, and one of the natural wonders of the world.

When it came out, Finding Nemo was the second-highest grossing movie of the year, and in 2016 the long-awaited sequel Finding Dory hit the big screen. Another huge success, Finding Dory was the third highest-grossing film of 2016, making the “Finding” franchise one of Pixar’s biggest success stories.