Ned Kelly poster & wallpaper

Charles 'Bud' Tingwell, Emily Browning, Geoff Morrell

In the latter part of the 19th century, Australia is still largely untamed. The former penal colony's first-generation Irish immigrant population lives in poverty. Having already experienced police br...( read more  read more... )utality and the death of his father, bushranger Ned Kelly is wrongfully imprisoned on the trumped-up charge of stealing a horse. Emerging a few years later, in 1874, Ned is hardened but vows to stay straight. Rejoining his widowed mother and younger siblings, he makes money for his family as a champion bare-knuckle boxer. He also toils as a farmhand on the estate of an English landowner--with whose beautiful wife Ned shares a mutual attraction. But the British colonial system and its Victorian English enforcers remain prejudiced against Australia's working people, and the struggling Kelly family is no exception. When, in 1878, a bullying police officer is rebuffed by Ned's younger sister Kate and targets the family for harassment, Ned and his mother are unjustly charged with attempted murder. Ned is determined to avenge his family's name and strike back against his people's oppressors. While hiding in the bush, he forms a loyal Gang that includes his best friend Joe Byrne. When a chance encounter with the police culminates in three officers killed, the Kelly Gang is forced to go on the run. They blaze a trail through the Outback, robbing banks to fund themselves and giving police the runaround. The Kelly Gang's reputation as invincible outlaws grows, as does nationwide support from their immigrant countrymen. To the masses, Ned is a hero. To lawmen, he is the most wanted man in Australia. When the authorities bring in the formidable Superintendent Francis Hare to capture and/or kill the outlaws, Ned strategizes a risky showdown at the Glenrowan Inn. It is this event which will seal his fate--and his legend.

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61% liked it

36,591 ratings

Critics

55% liked it

53 critics

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Directed by: Gregor Jordan

Release Date: March 26, 2004

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DVD Release Date: July 27, 2004

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Flixster Reviews (1,382)

  • SirPant
    October 2, 2009
    SirPant
    A bit of a one sided portrayal of one of Ireland?s great anti-heroes. The acting isn?t awful and the direction isn?t bad, it?s just not a very captivating film. Time progressions are poorly projected and character studies are a little mixed up. It?s a very average film to be fair.
  • irisheyes686
    May 23, 2009
    irisheyes686
    Good movie! It had humor, action, and romance. I usually enjoy any movie that Heath Ledger is in, and this one didn't disappoint me!
  • MidnightMadwoman
    January 21, 2009
    MidnightMadwoman
    To be perfectly honest, the initial reason I rented this was for the eye candy, but Orlando Bloom and Heath Ledger really aren't much to look at under big beards. The story itself is what propells this film, and it's interesting to see the Old West-type frontier in a country othe...( read more)r than America. The image of the final showdown is really strikingly iconic, but the movie itself is relatively slow.
  • PvtCaboose91
    August 21, 2008
    PvtCaboose91
    "They said I'd lost what it meant to be human, maybe never had it in the first place, but wasn't this about protecting the ones I loved? The ones who gave me food, and shelter, even the clothes on me back? And therefore wasn't it now a war?"


    Australian history fondly

    ...( read more) remembers the renowned outlaw bushranger known as Ned Kelly. Gregor Jordan's 2003 Australian movie Ned Kelly is based on the 1999 novel, Our Sunshine, written by author Robert Drewe. The story of Ned Kelly has been repeatedly told in several films, including the 1906 Australian film The Story of the Kelly Gang (according to most sources, this was the first feature film in cinematic history). Over the years, Ned Kelly has proved to be a durable Australian cultural icon. With his distinguishing helmet and armour, Ned is an instantly identifiable image. In addition to the various films regarding Ned and his illustrious gang, there have been paintings, poems, stories, books and even operas and ballets! This is a testament to the high esteem in which Ned is held. Conflicting opinions exist regarding the man. Was he really a villain and a dangerous outlaw? Or was he a victimised Irish immigrant whose gang was simply retaliating against the corrupt Victorian police force? Regardless of the opinion, one fact is undeniable: he's a crucial part of Aussie history and his Robin-Hood-come-Jesse-James persona made him an icon.

    It was sheer destiny that in a modern age of cinema, someone would create a mainstream movie based on the Ned Kelly legend. Gregor Jordan's Ned Kelly features a predominantly big-name cast and flaunts fantastic authenticity in its depiction of the period. Made on a modest budget of $30 million (approximately), the filmmakers made sure the scope was epic. Plenty of extras, extensive gun battles, extraordinarily detailed costumes and faultless illustrations of rural outback Australian in the 19th century. Unfortunately, Jordan's film is unmistakably a mainstream creation. Essentially the story is romanticised and insultingly altered to suit its target audience. Even worse, there's a horrible love story that slows the pacing and feels out of place. As a history of the Kelly gang the film is atrocious: it leaves out vital information and never allows an audience to get engaged in the characters' motivations. In the long run it never provides a much-desired history...this is aimed at a commercial audience for money. But is it entertaining? To an extent, yes.

    Edward "Ned" Kelly (Ledger) was born in Beveridge, Victoria in 1855. By the time Ned reached the age of 15 he was already a wanted man. Throughout his teenage years he was in and out of jail for assault and horse stealing. The story of Ned Kelly becoming an illustrious outlaw commences when a police officer named Constable Fitzpatrick (Paramore) takes a liking for Ned's younger sister Kate Kelly (Condon). However, Fitzpatrick's fondness for Kate is not a shared gesture. One night, when Ned is out womanising, Fitzpatrick pays a visit to the Kelly family. Drunk and irresponsible, he makes his move on Kate. The family resort to physical blows and violence to force Fitzpatrick from their property. However, rejection leaves Fitzpatrick humiliated and hungry for revenge. He scurries to the local police and claims that Ned tried to kill him (which is a total fib). Consequently, Ned becomes a wanted man: he unites with his brother Dan (Kinlan) as well as his mates Steve Hart (Barantini) and Joe Byrne (Bloom) to inaugurate the infamous Kelly gang. Wanted men with a sizeable bounty on their heads, the Kelly gang begin robbing banks and killing police offers (in "kill or be killed" firefights). Ned's gang begin giving money to the people, and he subsequently becomes a hero to the immigrants who dislike the treatment of the corrupt police.
    The gang meet their downfall in a battle with Victorian police at the Glenrowan Inn in 1880. The rest is history: Ned is the only man to survive the battle and faces the hangman's noose at Melbourne Gaol at the age of 25.

    To an extent, the presence of a large cast of well-known actors elevates the stale screenplay. Heath Ledger's posture as Ned Kelly cannot be faulted. Apparently Ledger (R.I.P.) could fit into Ned Kelly's armour perfectly. They were approximately the same height and weight. Ledger does wonders with the role, despite slipping in and out of a moderately convincing Irish accent.
    The film is undeniably marred by the presence of Orlando "women thief" Bloom. Naturally, his character is allowed opportunities to make out and sleep with married women. It's his stereotype. Personally, through my eyes Bloom has always been among today's worst actors. He simply cannot succeed in most of his roles (The Lord of the Rings remains his only respectable performance). His Irish accent here is decent at best, but his facial expressions are never adequate. His inability to display any profoundly powerful emotions is worrying as well.
    Naomi Watts' role was included not to provide further historical accuracy, but to please its target commercial viewers by providing a ridiculous romantic sub-plot. Watts is unnecessary as well as being underused. If you can get someone of Watts' stature and beauty, why give her a small role?
    Geoffrey Rush is allotted a criminally small role as well. It's so small, in fact, that it could qualify as a cameo. Rush does everything he can with his character.

    Overall, Ned Kelly is a weak retelling of the legend of Ned Kelly. It does no justice to the man due to the erroneous additions and failure to include important elements. This truncated version of Kelly's life elides key episodes, hurries others and fails to elucidate the precise relationships of the Kelly gang. The film does score big in its atmosphere. The evocative sound effects capture rural outback Australia to compliment the amazing production design. The film is extremely well directed too. The action scenes are very exciting, particularly the final stand at the Glenrowan Inn. But why strive for such authenticity when the story is romanticised for a mainstream audience? The bottom line is that the film is a dismal history lesson and an underwhelming Western wannabe, but it's entertaining and the technical merits are wondrous to behold. The definitive Ned Kelly film is yet to be made...
  • allan913
    March 28, 2008
    allan913
    An impressive and remarkable western epic. A great and thrilling action-packed adventure. Heath Ledger gives an outstanding performance.
  • darkendmirage
    October 17, 2009
    darkendmirage
    I liked this western. Based on the life of the australian outlaw Ned Kelly. Filled with good actors.
  • Natalieeeeeeeee
    September 22, 2009
    Natalieeeeeeeee
    I'm suprised that I didn't hear more about this movie.
  • davebiker
    September 9, 2009
    davebiker
    GREAT MOVIE WITH ACTION, ROMANCE, AND COMEDY!
    PITY GEOFFREY RUSH HAD A SMALL PART!
  • TheSlowJoker
    September 8, 2009
    TheSlowJoker
    i thought it was a pretty outstanding film portraying the life of one of the most famous outlaws ever, and i thought heath ledger did a fantastic job in playing him and did a great job with the irish accent you would have thought he was actually irish after watching that

    it was ...( read more)also good to see that the film industry didnt do a well this is what he did but were going to change the ending and make it a hollywood ending, im glad they kept the ending to what happened in real life, well as close as possible at least

    the other actors did a great job in supporting heath ledger, was a great movie i will deffinetly watch this several times, and if your a heath fan or a fan of this sort of movie then i think you will enjoy it from start to finish
  • se7enthangel
    September 3, 2009
    se7enthangel
    The legend of Ned kelly is a fiery one, both as an outlaw and a revolutionary. Outside of Australia, many may not be familiar with him. Heath Ledger is great as Kelly. Sublime sets and locations. Great supporting casts makes this period drama a compelling watch.

View All Ned Kelly Reviews

Critic Reviews

March 26, 2004
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

To get swept up by the hagiographic treatment and to be all that interested in every nuance of this fellow's development, one might really need to be Australian. full review

March 25, 2004
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

There is a potent national epic struggling to find expression here, but this movie is too rushed and fragmented to do it justice. full review

View more Ned Kelly reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments

  • aubreycheeko09
    January 22, 2008
    aubreycheeko09
    This was an amazing movie. I regret not seeing it sooner than I did. I definitely have to go buy it now. Just have one problem... I can't find it anywhere. But I will keep renting and watching it until I do find it. GREAT MOVIE!!!!
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