An Australian western, with punk music, offering a fictional version of the bandit who would become a hero of that country.
True History of the Kelly Gang is the adaptation of the novel by Australian writer Peter Carey, first published in 2000, which was a literary success in his country and received several awards in 2001.
The film starts from Ned Kelly's childhood to adulthood, showing some important moments in his life that would lead him to become Australia's most famous bandit. A legend, known for wearing metal armour during the bloody battle of Glenrowan. The complicated relationship with his mother and the end of his life. I haven't read it, but some critics who have also seen the film, declared that it is an acceptable adaptation of the novel, which takes the figure of Ned Kelly, some real facts and adds a lot of fiction.
**The first forty minutes of the film, which covers Ned Kelly's childhood, is the segment of the film that has caught my attention.**In this first part, the character of Harry Power, a very influential criminal in Kelly's life, appears. In the real story, Power was like a teacher, teaching the young man how to be an efficient bandit. Unfortunately, Harry Power's appearance in the film is relatively brief.
Ned Kelly's relationship with his mother Ellen Quinn ( Kelly ). A woman who pushed her son to be what he was. She wanted him to be a strong and determined man and to take what he wanted. It seems that in real life, the influence she had on the bandit was very important, with clear references to the Oedipus complex.
The death of her father is another element used as a catalyst for Ned Kelly's future behaviour. The father was arrested for cattle rustling and sentenced to six months, but died while serving his sentence. In real life, it seems he was sick and consumed a lot of alcohol. In the film, the cause of death is not clear. It shows that it was the boy Ned Kelly who killed the cow to bring home food, a fact that led to his father's prison, a guilt he will have to bear, feeding the hatred for the law enforcement officers.
For a moment the film breaks down, but quickly the final mythical confrontation takes place, where the gang members are killed and Ned Kelly is captured. I am disturbed by the scene in which Kelly talks to an English teacher who is being held prisoner by the bandit, along with another group of people. It was a moment of great exaggeration on the part of the actor who brought the bandit to life.
George MacKay, an actor who received accolades for the film 1917, doesn't quite convince me with his portrayal of Ned Kelly. Not bad, but not great either. The one who caught my eye was the Australian actress Essie Davis, the director's wife, who played the mother. She has a career in movies and television series. Stars Charlie Hunnam and Russell Crowe, playing Sergeant O'Neill and Harry Power. The characters appear in the first part of the film, during Kelly's childhood. Justin Kurzel returns to Australian cinema, after his time in Hollywood, where he directed the blockbuster Assassin's Creed, which had divided the opinions of those waiting for that adaptation. I think he is a solid filmmaker, his version of Macbeth seemed very good to me, but his debut still seems to me to be his most powerful film: Snowtown , released in 2011, a film I recommend, based on some real crimes that shook the public opinion in Australia.
I remember a little bit the 2003 film about Ned Kelly, starring Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom and Naomi Watts, which was a remake of another Kelly film I starred in in the 70s, Mick Jagger. I only remember the beauty of Naomi Watts, so I can't make a comparison, I would have to see it again, to refresh my memory. I recommend it, in case you're interested in seeing other cinematic visions of the character.
The story of this outlaw is very interesting, if you want to know more about Ned Kelly's life and the crimes he committed, as well as his transformation into a symbol of Australian popular culture, you can start by reading this wikipedia article: link
The legend of the bandit Ned Kelly is still a matter of debate. After his death, when he was only 25 or 26 years old, the Australian people made him a legend. For those who love his story, he is considered a hero, in the style of Robin Hood, who helped the underprivileged and dared to confront the British government. For those who reject him, he was a simple thief and murderer, who does not deserve all the attention he has received until today.
What about the truth? What about the lies? We only know what the books, stories and films that have been made about this character tell us. Was he really a man who fought for the rights of the oppressed? Or was he just a criminal who used that excuse as part of his criminal crusade? We don't know exactly. The only thing we know for sure is that he is part of Australian popular culture.
My Rankin: 2.9/5
Trailer
