Movie Review: 'True History of the Kelly Gang' Isn't About the Kelly Gang

For a movie called True History of The Kelly Gang, the focus isn't much about famed Aussie outlaw Ned Kelly. Assassin's Creed director Justin Kurzel follows up that big budget flop by returning to his roots in Australia. Unfortunately, as his direction of the videogame adaptation went awry, so does his take on the famous Aussie bush ranger.

Big stars, gaudy special effects and a punk soundtrack are intended to animate the old school story of the Kelly gang and instead they overshadow it in True History of the Kelly Gang.

The story of Ned Kelly begins in Ned’s dark and perilous childhood. As a young man, Ned watched as his father was absent and affect-less and his mother turned to sex work to make ends meet. Charlie Hunnam co-stars in these early scenes as a Constable and customer of Ned’s mother. Why is Charlie Hunnam in this role? It’s an awful choice. Not that Charlie Hunnam is bad, rather, it’s because he’s such a talented and magnetic character that we wonder about him and wait for him to return.

Hunnam’s charisma and presence is poorly deployed. He comes off like a much better choice to have portrayed Ned Kelly than the young star. That’s even as Hunnam has fully aged out of the role of Ned Kelly. George Mackay is a wonderful young actor, Hunnam is a movie star whose presence overwhelms all others in the movie. Hunnam is only in the first half of True History and when he leaves the story, it’s unceremonious.

Even more wrongly cast however is Russell Crowe. Cast as a mentor and father figure to Ned, Crowe chews the screen, oozes star charisma and, like Hunnam, he overwhelms the rest of the movie. Crowe is brilliant, authentic, and fascinating. The star of the time Crowe is on screen is supposed to be young Ned played by Orlando Schwerdt and he’s finely cast. But this is Russell Crowe and whether he intended to or not, he overshadows the journey of Ned Kelly and makes the audience want to keep traveling with him while Ned Kelly wanders off.

Two more casting choices also render the Ned Kelly of this story the least interesting character in the movie. Essie Davis from The Babadook portrays Ned’s loving yet manipulative and greedy mother. Davis’ occasionally unhinged performance is indelible, blowsy and ballsy. Davis rages and cries and vacillates between Mama Bear and pragmatic criminal matriarch. It’s a memorable performance that, like Crowe and Hunnam, pulls focus.

And still there is Nicholas Hoult to contend with. Hoult is the final member of the True History ensemble and his colorful villain is electrifying. He also comes off like a more interesting if age inappropriate choice to play Ned. I keep coming off as if I think George Mackay isn’t a good actor but he is. He’s badly let down by the direction which gives all of the colorful and exciting moments to the supporting cast.

When Mackay moves out front fully in the final act, with no Hoult, no Davis, no Crowe or Hunnam, the movie turns to visual trickery to try and make Ned more exciting. The visual trickery is interesting and experimental but by then, the Kelly gang have been so underwhelmingly portrayed that it just comes off like trickery. The neat visuals are exposed as stunts when the characters aren’t strong enough to stand next to them.

Ned Kelly remains an elusive character in Australian history. Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger have tried their hand at the criminal icon and came up short, Jagger especially embarrassing himself back in 1970. George Mackay doesn’t fail at the character, he’s really not bad. It’s just unfortunate that director Justin Kurzel apparently didn’t find the character all that interesting either. Why else would he overwhelm him with bigger stars and visual trickery that renders the Kelly gang of the title little more than background players.

True History of the Kelly Gang is available for streaming rental on April 24th.