True History of the Kelly Gang

Is the truth relevant in myth-making?

Ironically enough given its title, True History of the Kelly Gang is a film about lies. More specifically, it looks at the pivotal role lies play in cultural myth-making, how every myth is a fiction, a subjective interpretation and reframing of real events, oftentimes with the goal of inflating a person's reputation, oftentimes with the goal of diminishing it. Importantly, as with the novel on which it's based, True History is a work of historical fiction which invents characters and incidents, weaving such elements into what we know of the facts pertaining to Ned Kelly. Easily the best filmic depiction of the Kelly Gang, True History is rugged, fierce, bleak, sexually ambiguous, and psychologically exhausting, with universally exceptional acting and some quite stunning cinematography. Acknowledging Kelly as an important symbol in Australian cultural identity, the film occupies a kind of middle ground between condemning him as a sociopathic murderer and celebrating him as a passionate freedom fighter. It takes itself very seriously, which will probably put off those looking for more casual entertainment along the lines of Gregor Jordan's rather bland Ned Kelly (2003), but if you're in the mood for something complex, challenging, and esoteric, you could certainly do worse than True History.

For my complete review, please visit: https://boxd.it/12I8iV

The true story? I'm not sure. It was a pretty good film though and shot through in a style I wasn't expecting.

Don’t really know much about ned kelly, not sure how accurate this is to the truth but other than that it was a good film with a fine cast.

Okay, but he has a peculiar way of telling things. The final shootout doesn't seem epileptic-friendly

The acting is this movie's only saving grace.

As my family knew the Kelly's (mainly Dan) I can say that this is far from the truth. Good style and well acted but the story is absolute trash. They were bushrangers.The Kelly gang never wore dresses, that's not scary or surprising as the movie says, the British would have just shot them and laughed more at seeing blokes in dresses. Ned never kissed teachers or spooned Joe in a tent, the last stand was at the Glenrowan Pub with the towns people that were celebrating with the Kelly gang. I've been to Glenrowan, the pub and the train tracks, and seen photos from back then and this movie isn't close. Even small things like giving Ned a mullet is wrong, the guy never looked like that. Looks like they went to the trouble of shooting this at the Melbourne Gaol but they didn't use the place where Ned was actually hung.
Not sure why this movie was made when the TRUE STORY is so much better and more interesting. Not sure what the hell Hollywood is doing with history but I'm glad Ned isn't alive to see this crap.

I haven't been this angry since the 89 cup final.

Not remotely compelling. Impossible to care about the fate of any of the characters. Way too long. Nudity and foul language aplenty are a transparent attempt to appear edgy. Much of the dialogue seems to think it's so deep and so profound, but it's utter nonsense. The final third in particular enters silly video game territory removing any semblance of investment in the story that somehow could have scraped through.

absolute rubbish complete absolute rubbish