classicsoncall
The only other time I've come across the historical Ned Kelly was via the 1970 film of the same name with Mick Jagger in the lead role. In that picture, Jagger's celebrity status managed to distract most of the time, and the movie featured a lot of musical background themed for the story of an Australian outlaw taking it to Victorian authorities. What this effort does is convey the idea that Ned Kelly's major crime was that of being born Irish, making him and his family a minority in 1871 Australia. Therefore any suspected misdemeanor, like looking the wrong way at a town constable, was pretty much grounds for being harassed and bullied. Then of course, one thing leads to another and hostilities escalate until things go out of control. It's a familiar story, and one that gets repeated consistently in real life as well as film. In comparison with the earlier film version, I guess it's a toss up depending on one's disposition. Jagger's picture will have it's adherents, though this one is probably the better told story, and is somewhat removed from the Western film genre it emulates. The 1970 version reminded me of tales of the James/Younger Gang.
adonis98-743-186503
An innocent man becomes one of the most wanted criminals the world has ever known. Ned Kelly is a movie that could have achieved way more especially with a cast like that Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Naomi Watts and Joel Edgerton, unfortunately the movie suffers from a thin script and uninteresting characters that even when they die you simply just don't care and just like Rotten Tomatoes said there isn't a lot of depth in these characters not even Heath Ledger's performance isn't worth it, a rent would be fine for sure but just about it and overall my final score is a solid 5/10 it's not as bad as other types of this genre but it's definitely not a great film also.
blend_ashtey11
Definitely one of my favourite movies. The story is good, acting is great, all technicals (especially cinematography) are sharp and the script is clever.Heath Ledger is terrific as Edward ''Ned'' Kelly. He is gripping as the legendary outlaw, and is supported well by Geoffrey Rush, Naomi Watts and Orlando Bloom. All action sequences are on pointThe film is edge-of-your seat stuff right up to to the end. One of my favourite films from the late legend Heath Ledger, who has been the highlight of every film he has starred in. And makes no mistake here.An excellent film all round.
Steph3008
Fantastic movie. One to excite all 5 senses. Is not a true historical report and not all information is to be taken as factual information. True Hollywood conventions used, like playing A list and VERY attractive actors as the 'heroes', such as Naomi Watts (Julia Cook - Ned Kelly's lover), Heath Ledger (Ned) and Orlando Bloom (Joe Byrne - Ned's right hand man), and unattractive (sorry Geoffrey Rush) actors play the drunken and corrupt Victorian Police Force. This also instills a very unreliable love story into the mix between Ned (Ledger) and Julia Cook (Watts) to entice all the romantics, females being especially susceptible. Even from the first scene, when Ned saves the fat youth from drowning and his dad calls him "sunshine" and had a "glint in his eye as he looked down at me, his hand on me shoulder," it is very romanticized and persuades viewers to side with Ned Kelly, the underdog. Besides, don't all Aussies love an underdog?
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