“This story is not True – True History of the Kelly Gang.” I appreciate the tongue in cheek opening line before the film. While most of the details to any story can never be fully proven true, it’s especially true when dealing with some of the folklore behind Ned Kelly. At the same time I think some things are safe to give rough speculations. Based on the novel by Peter Carey, TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG speculates and chronicles Ned Kelly’s relationship with his mother and family starting at a young age, until becoming the legendary Australian outlaw, rebelling against the bloody rule of the English law.
Set in the center of the desolate badlands in 19-century Australia, TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG is gorgeous to look at. Cinematographer Ari Wegner creates a few sweeping images of the broken land and captures the grueling nature beautifully. Director Justin Kurzel (ASSASSIN’S CREED, MACBETH) structures the two hour film in two parts. The first forty minutes follows Ned Kelly as a young boy as he witnesses his poor family abused by Sgt O’Neil (Charlie Hunnam). This eventually leads to his father’s death and his mother’s desperate attempt to prime Ned for a revolution by selling him to notorious bushranger Harry Power (Russell Crowe).
Seeing how Ned Kelly becomes the leader of a rebellion beginning from a childhood helps create and understand the character, but is still unnecessarily drawn out and does not have the intended lasting impact the film desires. However, it is the more compelling aspect. The last half of the film where Ned Kelly is an adult, passionately performed by George MacKay (1917, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC), feels rushed. Ned Kelly’s leadership of the anarchist army who wear dresses and wreak havoc on their oppressors is short-changed and the final famous attack isn’t the successful payoff after such a slow build. I want to be clear that the last scene is still exciting, it just isn’t enough by that point. The entire film for that matter is simply underwhelming when it has so much potential. I can’t help but feel there might be two better movies smashed into this lesser one.
The screenplay from Shaun Grant and the direction in telling the story show promise, but not quite enough pros to recommend. That’s not to say TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG isn’t without its positives. Performances from Essie Davis (THE BABADOOK) as Ned’s mother and Nicholas Hoult as the villainous Constable Fitzpatrick are terrific. But the spotlight belongs to George MacKay, who of which I have become a huge fan. He was a standout in 2016’s undervalued CAPTAIN FANTASTIC and is overwhelmingly impressive in last year’s best film, 1917. TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG won’t be a marque spot on his soon to be large resume, but it still proves George MacKay has talent that will garner him a hefty spot in Hollywood for years to come.
With great performances and some grueling imagery, TRUE HISTORY OF KELLY GANG is a film I wanted to like more. Unfortunately, it never connects the characters or their plight in a manner that elicits an emotional resonance or purposeful manner that educates or entertains.
