Heaven's Burning

"Heaven's Burning" is a 1997 action adventure/drama film made in Australia. It wasn't a large budget film and received only limited release in Australia. It earned only $55,780, but has become something of a cult classic due to being an early vehicle for a young Russell Crowe.

Crowe plays a getaway driver named Colin O'Brien, who is paid to rob a bank. Things go wrong, and he grabs Midori Takada as a hostage. Takada is fleeing a marriage she considers a mistake, and is taken out to the wasteland outside Sydney. O'Brien's gang members want to shoot her, but he protects her.

The rest of the movie plays out as an extended road-trip, with O'Brien and Takada growing closer as they flee from the police and O'Brien's gang. They are also fleeing Takada's husband, who is attempting to get her back. There are many twists, turns, and diversions in their trip across Australia.

"Heaven's Burning" received mixed reviews, with some critics praising it's road-trip narrative, while others found its action bland and its drama uninspiring. It was released on DVD in 2000 in a widescreen format. However, the image was highly grainy and panned for its low quality.