Quigley Down Under (1990)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jens S

  
  The idea to take the typical Western plot (stranger gets hired by sadistic land owner and turns against him) and move it to Australia is quite good. Of course, the majority of the film does still feel like a Western, but still the Australian Outback and especially the Aboriginals do… More
  The idea to take the typical Western plot (stranger gets hired by sadistic land owner and turns against him) and move it to Australia is quite good. Of course, the majority of the film does still feel like a Western, but still the Australian Outback and especially the Aboriginals do make for a very unique atmosphere throughout the film, even if the rest is taken from the pile of usual ingredients. Tom Selleck makes for a likable and charming leading man and we already know Alan Rickman can play wonderfully mean bad guys. It is the female lead with the tragic back story that sometimes feels a bit over the top, and some of the dialogs could have been a bit spicier. But the beautiful scenery, great shootouts and enthralling plot that does not shy away from maiming the innocent brings this film home. An entertaining and visually very pleasing adventure.

• Red L

  
  Quigley is an American sharpshooter moved to Australia. As in all Westerns, there is the good guy (Quigley) and the bad guy -- in this movie played by Alan Rickman. Their differences of opinion comes with the way Alan's character treats the local aborigines. As someone raised… More
  Quigley is an American sharpshooter moved to Australia. As in all Westerns, there is the good guy (Quigley) and the bad guy -- in this movie played by Alan Rickman. Their differences of opinion comes with the way Alan's character treats the local aborigines. As someone raised on Westerns featuring the American wild West, it is quite interesting to see a movie set in the Australian wilderness.

• Phil H

  
  Poor old Tom Selleck, always been the poor mans Harrison Ford, the second choice 'Indiana Jones' or the last option action man. On his side though are his manly looks, his chiselled features and that famous manly facial hair that ensured Selleck is a mans man despite his… More
  Poor old Tom Selleck, always been the poor mans Harrison Ford, the second choice 'Indiana Jones' or the last option action man. On his side though are his manly looks, his chiselled features and that famous manly facial hair that ensured Selleck is a mans man despite his failure at being in any really big films. This long forgotten western is actually one of his best films in my opinion, the films title doesn't help its case for sure, it tends to give the impression of a silly comedy in the vain of 'Lightning Jack' with Paul Hogan but its nowhere close. Filmed on location in Australia instantly giving it that epic look with some awesome scenery and having a kind of 'Dances with Wolves-ish' plot really makes for a terrific adventure, yes there is some silly humour to raise a smile but it fits nicely and never really gets too daft to spoil. Rickman as usual is splendid in his role as the wickedly nasty English cad hunting Aboriginal folk for sport, sure his performance is really the same as his 'Sheriff of Nottingham' from 'Robin Hood Prince of Thieves' but it works just as well here (Reynolds and Costner must have seen this and wanted the same for 'Hood' :) ). The rest of the cast all perform well as immigrant Irish workers in the 1800's outback, everything looks great from sets to costume and real aborigine people seem to have been cast giving an even more realistic feel. A bit funny how Quigley never loses his customised rifle and everytime he's called to help people in danger he's conveniently set far away enabling him to use his fancy customised rifle to its full potential, its only at the end we do actually find out Quigley can look after himself without the rifle. Great light hearted fun adventure which was set for Eastwood or McQueen to star which gives you a good idea of what to expect. The film also has a nice emotional theme too which isn't too strong but enough to add some quality and raise it above most other more silly boys own adventures.

• AJ V

  
  I don't normally watch westerns, not even if they're set in Australia, like this one, but I couldn't pass up seeing Alan Rickman in this. It actually did have a bunch of good action scenes, it could have been better, but for the most part it's a really good movie.

• Dean !

  
  A cool western set down under! Has a good strong cast and is enjoyable to watch. If you like most westerns, adventure films you should like this.

• danny d

  
  he shoots people from far away

• Dean M

  
  Two thumbs up for Tom Selleck's Aussie classic western film.

• Deb S

  
  Tom Selleck plays the title character, a master rifle sharpshooter, who moves from the U.S. to Australia to work as a hired hand on an Australian ranch. Quigley thinks that he was contracted to kill dingoes but when he gets there, he is shocked to discover that he has been hired to… More
  Tom Selleck plays the title character, a master rifle sharpshooter, who moves from the U.S. to Australia to work as a hired hand on an Australian ranch. Quigley thinks that he was contracted to kill dingoes but when he gets there, he is shocked to discover that he has been hired to use his long range rifle to kill the Aborigines in the area by his new boss (Alan Rickman). Tom Selleck is absolutely superb as a true gentleman in a hard world who knows what he wants and stands for what he believes in while Alan Rickman is just an incredible bad guy.

• Jim W

  
  A sharpshooter from NY named Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck) is hired by a rancher in Australia named Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) to get rid of wild dogs. But it turns out, those wild dogs are natives that Elliot wants off his lands. When Quigley refuses, the two men become enemies… More
  A sharpshooter from NY named Matthew Quigley (Tom Selleck) is hired by a rancher in Australia named Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) to get rid of wild dogs. But it turns out, those wild dogs are natives that Elliot wants off his lands. When Quigley refuses, the two men become enemies and Quigley finds himself defending the people he was supposed to kill. I never bothered seeing this movie, because I just didn't expect much from a western starring Tom Selleck. I just thought it would be a bad western/comedy, but Quigley Down Under is a very good western. But it doesn't really know if it's a comedy or a drama. One minute it's funny and other moments it's very violent with even native children dieing. Never less, I recommend the movie because it's exciting and well acted. Tom Selleck fairs a lot better in a western than you'd think, in fact he was great! I should also mention Laura San Giacomo (Just Shoot Me) as a crazy woman who calls Quigley by the name Roy. It annoys him and she annoys him but she turns out to be his only friend in Australia when Marston's men leave him in the dessert to die. Selleck and Giacomo have good chemistry and are fun together. While Alan Rickman is perfect as an evil rancher even if it's like he's playing his character from Die Hard in a western.

• Jonny C

  
  Decent western. Sharpshooter Matt Quigley is hired from Montana by an Australian rancher paying a very high price. But when Quigley arrives Down Under, all is not as it seems. Quigley Down Under played like a TV movie, and never really took off. But Selleck and Rickman were great as… More
  Decent western. Sharpshooter Matt Quigley is hired from Montana by an Australian rancher paying a very high price. But when Quigley arrives Down Under, all is not as it seems. Quigley Down Under played like a TV movie, and never really took off. But Selleck and Rickman were great as advisories, and there were some good action scenes plus a nice musical score.

• Leo L

  
  An interesting film.

• monty h

  
  Rousing western with Tom Selleck as american sharpshooter Matthew Quigley, who comes to Australia under the false pretense of hunting wild dogs for bad guy Alan Rickman. But once Quigley realizes he was brought in to kill aborigines, he decides to fight back against Rickman and his… More
  Rousing western with Tom Selleck as american sharpshooter Matthew Quigley, who comes to Australia under the false pretense of hunting wild dogs for bad guy Alan Rickman. But once Quigley realizes he was brought in to kill aborigines, he decides to fight back against Rickman and his desperadoes. A different type of western but still a very good one. Selleck is awesome as Quigley and he carries one of the longest rifles I have ever seen. And trust me, he is bad ass with it. Alan Rickman once again is dead on as the bad guy, who is a pretty good shot himself. And Laura San Giacomo is a hoot as Crazy Cora, a woman Quigley saves by accident. A good fun movie. Oh, and a great music score to boot. Crazy Cora: Don't worry, on a new job it's quite common for things not to go well at first

• Barry L

  
  I watched it and it wasnt as bad as you'd imagine.

Read all 13 featured audience ratings