Nicole Kidman's 'Australia' Performance Gets The Thumbs Down From Critics

Nicole Kidman performance in new film Australia has been widely panned by critics, with one reviewer accusing the actress of being "the kiss of death" for every movie she stars in.

Baz Luhrmann's epic tale is due for release on Boxing day - and if the reviews are anything to go by the cinemas will be empty.

Here's a choice selection of Nicole-bashing:

San Francisco Chronicle: "In truth, Kidman has never seemed so lost in a role. Couldn't Luhrmann tell she was drowning? This is a fine actress. Couldn't he help her? Likewise, never has Kidman, a screen beauty, ever looked so unappealing onscreen, caught in a triangulation between an absurd characterization, an unflattering hairstyle and ugly clothing"

The Times (UK): "Australia the movie, however, has one huge problem. It stars Nicole Kidman. Big mistake. Big, big mistake. Kidman is exquisitely accomplished at being awful. She can't act. Instead, she drifts around films like a lost porcelain doll, looking frozen, brittle and vapid, staring at the camera with her oh-golly-look-how-I'm-looking-interesting blue eyes."

ABC4: "Kidman's performance is a little stiff and sometimes overbearing. The script and story are also a little shaky at times, with several predictable plot paths, especially in the 'love story' parts."

Capitol Weekly: "I found myself pondering the irony of casting Nicole Kidman in a movie set in Australia and still having her fake an English accent throughout the entire film."

Baltimore Sun: "She has never looked as unattractive as she does in the first hour. Wrapped up tight in aristocratic finery, she seems uncomfortable in her own taut skin. Looking like a digital human in an early 3D cartoon, she moves in a weird pinched strut and talks in a snobbish screech."

But there it's not all bad news for Nicole -  the Daily Telegraph bucked the trend by praising her for her on-screen efforts:

"Kidman's screen presence is nothing short of radiant - with plenty of help from the extraordinary quality of the light (natural and man made)."