Highly Overrated But Still Good

good back-story, and good acting

Don't listen to the negative reviews

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a wild fun Austrailian movie that is well worth the ride The action dominates the movie with a collection of odd broken characters that you so often find in Australian movies. The story sometimes borrows themes from other 'road movies' which are fairly familiar, but the unique characters in the movie make this road movie unique in its own very strange way. Russell Crowe a la sideburns is still very cool, yet he does not dominate each scene as he has done in every movie he has made in the past 5 years. His somewhat understated presence allows his co-star Yidori (?) shine - a wonderful Japanese actress whose ingénue childlike looks contrast sharply with her bizarre change or metamorphosis from the gentle opening scenes. The classical musical romantic score is placed in a wild funny contrast to the plot,sometimes in a very campy way--yet it still works. This is not a great movie or a classic--but it has the zany features of movies like "TRUE ROMANCE', (a cult classic) I would highly recommend this movie for what it it is -- a wild action packed funny bizarre ride with a good run of crazy people--- This movie may be a 10 if you view it the Austrailian way --with a keg of good beer--wish I 'd seen this movie on the big screen but I don't recall this movie in the theater years ago-Enjoy--there are even a few good lines that will make you want to go back to it someday so a DVD purchase would not be wasted....

Interesting movie that suffers from a poor script, basically, although almost everything else is good or very good. The music and cinematography are excellent, location choices are great, the small/incidental roles are fantastic, almost everyone they encounter is great and very well written, cast and played (great cameo from Colin Hay). However the same can't be said for the two leads and their roles.Has a dry wit and could have almost been a great movie, unfortunately the script, (duh Shakespearean revenge) is stoopid and the lead roles are not quite what they should be. I think it's a Louis Nowra (oz playwright) script, which explains a lot.Worth seeing anyway, and I'd definitely like to see more of the cinematographer's work.

I watched this film on free to air TV last night after watching Proof of Life(Russell Crowe and Meg Ryan, 2000).I had never heard of the movie before and spent half of it trying to guess when it was made!1997 was the year and Russell appears to really enjoy playing with this dark story with some relish.Whilst I am sure he played the character to the best of his ability at the time,I reckon it was with a sly grin that he read the script and realised that this script would not come around again,so now's the time...No one should take it too serious...It is the sort of movie I would write...lolCheers

This definately the best Australian film ever made! Heaven's Burning is a truly amazing film. Russell Crowe's best film. Even better than the overrated Gladiator (2000).This brillant film tells the story of a recent young Japanese bride (Youki Kudoh) who runs away from her husband (Kenji Isomura) to be with her boyfriend who never shows up. As she goes to bank to get money, the bank is robbed by a gang of criminals, who's driver is Colin (Russell Crowe). Colin kills the gang as they try to kill her. So they're on the run from the criminals family and her husband, who are all trying to kill them. And as they go on, they fall in love.Even thought it may be corny they fall in love, but it is so brilliantly done, it doesn't matter. All the acting in this was amazing. The film is brilliant from start to finish. If you can see this film DO IT!!!!!!!Rating: 5/5!!!