Justin Kurzel's True History of the Kelly Gang Movie Review

George MacKay as Ned Kelly in TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG.
Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release. 

Every culture has their notorious outlaws, and in Australia, probably no such figure looms larger than bushranger Ned Kelly, who famously wore a suit made of bulletproof armor during his last standoff with local authorities. While at least 10 movies have already been made about Ned Kelly and his gang, most paint him as a heroic figure and symbol of the poor man standing up against oppression. Director Justin Kurzel veers in a completely different direction. Using unabashedly fictional source material (Shaun Grant, who worked with Kurzel on previous project Snowtown, adapted the screenplay from Peter Carey’s award-winning biographical fiction novel of the same title) and taking inspiration from Australian countercultural larrikin bands of the 1960s-1980s, this latest rendering of Ned Kelly and his gang pulses with punk-rock energy and a timeless feel. While this isn’t the Ned Kelly of the history books, it’s a fun ride worth taking.

Read the full review at Elements of Madness ...

See all my work at Elements of Madness ...