Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

True History of the Kelly Gang Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 26, 2020

Filmmakers love to make movies about the history of the Bushrangers, and the saga of Ned Kelly is a particular favorite, with his story repeatedly brought to screens of all sizes, presenting different creative visions a chance to get to the core of Kelly’s propensity for violence and bruised sense of honor. Talents from Mick Jagger (in 1970) to Heath Ledger (in 2003) have played the man, offering different takes on dangerous behavior, but it’s George McKay (recently seen in “1917”) who’s permitted to go absolutely bonkers with the part. “True History of the Kelly Gang” isn’t your average period outlaw experience, with director Justin Kurzel (2015’s “Macbeth,” “Assassin’s Creed”) looking to shake things up with his take on the Kelly Gang and their legendary days, blending in brash cinematic style and sneering punk rock attitude to fully realize the primal instinct found within the screenplay by Shaun Grant, who adapts a 2001 novel by Peter Carey.

In Australia, 1867, young Ned Kelly (Orlando Schwerdt) watches as his family falls apart, with mother Ellen (Essie Davis) turning to prostitution to bring in some money, often servicing Sergeant O’Neill (Charlie Hunnam), a sadistic military man who loves to torment the Kelly clan. When his cross-dressing father is sent to prison, perishing during O’Neill’s watch, Ned is sent into the care of criminal Harry (Russell Crowe), a seasoned man of dishonor who tries to make an apt pupil out of the child, who doesn’t take to the life as easily as the old man hopes. Growing up to understand the injustice of life and the cruelty of those in charge, Ned (George McKay) strives to find peace in his chaotic life, making a connection to Mary (Thomasin McKenzie), a prostitute with a baby. Into Ned’s view comes Constable Fitzpatrick (Nicholas Hoult), who enjoys tormenting the Kelly family, soon triggering a rage within Ned when the system goes too far, intentionally working to destroy him, inspiring a ragged uprising with his siblings.

“True History of the Kelly Gang” isn’t actually factual at all. Kurzel reveals this at the very beginning of the movie, with the viewer left to decide if the informational card is an offering of cheekiness or preparation for the strangeness to come, with the story told through Ned’s letters to his young son. He’s writing down his biography for reasons unclear until later in the picture, with his thoughts returning to formative years spent in the vastness of rural Australia, living with Ellen, who’s selling herself to keep the family afloat, while his father’s secret desires are exposed to the kids, with the weak parental figure soon locked up far away, leaving Ned to become the man of the house. It’s a role he takes to instinctually, and “True History of the Kelly Gang” is more assured when exploring this volatile time period, which finds Ned claiming ownership of the home by providing meat for the table and resisting O’Neill, a sinister military man who wants to possess Ellen and destroy the rest of the Kellys. Ned has moments of heroism (perhaps unintentionally), clearing a path to a better life away from Ellen at boarding school, but his mother refuses such a rare opportunity, keeping her son close for selfish reasons, contributing to his attachment issues.

The arrival of Harry also keeps “True History of the Kelly Gang” at full attention, with Crowe a fine addition to the cast, portraying a portly man of criminal knowledge, offering Ned an education in crime that allows him to graduate to a Bushranger, whether he wants to or not. Harry presents Ned with his first taste of revenge and provides him with the promise of monetary comfort, also becoming something of a father figure, giving the first half of the film a strong sense of pace and discovery, with Kurzel keeping the hits coming as Ned’s headspace is pounded into position. His maturation should deliver a proper escalation to “True History of the Kelly Gang,” but the screenplay offers a diminishing sense of exploration, giving Kurzel more opportunities to sell the tale with a cinematic fury, and many of these scenes feel a bit too close to the works of Guy Ritchie, with Ned transformed into an impeccably sculpted, fully grimed fighter with thinning patience for the law, with some anachronistic music to sell the developing fury.

True History of the Kelly Gang Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Kurzel intends to put on a cinematic showcase with "True History of the Kelly Gang," and the AVC encoded image (the aspect ratio changes throughout the movie) presentation supports the feature's different styles and levels of cinematographic hostility. Detail is sharp throughout, surveying a substantial amount of skin surfaces, which vary as elements of age and bodily harm are introduced. Homesteads are surveyed, with noticeable decay and weathered appearances, along with more regal interiors, which retain a full read of decoration. Costuming is especially fibrous, from Harry Power's ratty wool outfits to the thinner, lacy dresses worn by the gang. Facial surfaces are exact, picking up on health issues, and facial hair emerges with distinction, especially with Power's greasy, bushy beard. Exteriors are dimensional, exploring the vastness of open world. Colors are direct, favoring earth tones with Kelly's living spaces, which also supply excellent greenery. Uniforms introduce dark blues, and the movie's heavy use of candlelight maintains a warmer amber glow. Delineation handles limited lighting without losing frame information. Some mild banding is detected.

True History of the Kelly Gang Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers an immersive listening experience, with emphasis on dialogue exchanges. Performances remain clear and accents distinct during the listening experience, while argumentative behavior doesn't slip into distortive extremes. Scoring selections provide musical support with exact instrumentation, generating softer moods of introspection and driving, percussive moments of violence. Soundtrack selections deliver on the punk vibe, with buzz saw guitars and snappy beats. Surrounds excel with atmospherics, offering an understanding of nature and isolation, while room tone is understood, moving from tight spaces to echoed lecture halls. Group activity is noted, and use of directional activity is welcome. Low-end offers some rumble with galloping horses and heavier weaponry. Sound effects are sharp.

True History of the Kelly Gang Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:02, HD) is included.

True History of the Kelly Gang Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"True History of the Kelly Gang" doesn't fall apart in full, but it sheds emphasis in the second half, where Ned tastes the good life with Mary, only to find everything destroyed by Fitzpatrick, inspiring him to go to war with the law, activated by persistent dreams of a naval legend involving the sheer power of a steel warship. There are furious men in bright dresses (offering pleasure and rebellion in one fell swoop), frenzied shoot-outs, and Ned's creeping metamorphosis into a mulleted feral state, allowing McKay to perform at maximum physicality, which resembles the rest of his recent performances. The fireworks display is there, but Kurzel dials down deep feelings, trying to give the story a grand Shakespearian lift that's unnecessary. Closeness to Ned's varied experiences with growth and trauma is always more compelling than his spittle-drenched outbursts, and "True History of the Kelly Gang" gradually loses urgency when it transitions from a tale of cockeyed manhood to an act of war.