True History of the Kelly Gang (2020) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Justin Kurzel
Written by: Shaun Grant
Starring: George MacKay, Essie Davis, Nicholas Hoult, Orlando Schwerdt, Thomasin McKenzie, Sean Keenan, Charlie Hunnam, Russell Crowe
Runtime: 124 min
Synopsis: Set against the badlands of colonial Australia where the English rule with a bloody fist and the Irish endure, Ned Kelly (George MacKay and Orland Schwerdt) discovers he comes from a line of Irish rebels called the Sons of Sieve, an uncompromising army of cross dressing bandits immortalized for terrorizing their oppressors back in Ireland. Nurtured by the notorious bushranger Harry Power (Russell Crowe) and fueled by the unfair arrest of his mother, Ned Kelly recruits a wild bunch of warriors to plot one of the most audacious attacks of anarchy and rebellion the country has ever seen.
This was a pretty tough review to write. I had no previous knowledge about Ned Kelly nor his gang. I don’t know if this is a well-known story outside of Australia, but I can understand the reasons for its almost non-existent marketing campaign overseas. It will always feel strange when a movie with such a phenomenal cast doesn’t get enough advertising. George MacKay is exponentially getting more significant roles, and he’s undoubtedly the standout of this film. A genuinely remarkable performance from an actor who keeps impressing me every time I get the opportunity to watch him.
Russell Crowe doesn’t have much screentime, but he always commits 100% to his roles, and this one was no exception. I would even presume that he was used as bait to bring in more viewers, but as I wrote above, it doesn’t seem like the studio was truly worried about that. Charlie Hunnam (Sergeant O’Neill) continues his streak of good performances, Nicholas Hoult (Constable Fitzpatrick) proves once again that he deserves a lot more chances, and Essie Davis (Ellen Kelly) is terrific as Ned’s mother.
Nevertheless, it’s Thomasin McKenzie (Mary) who offers the big surprise. She was extremely funny in Jojo Rabbit, but now she shows an entirely different dramatic range. As you might have figured by now, I believe the cast is the best thing that True History of the Kelly Gang has to offer. Justin Kurzel doesn’t hold back in setting up a truly realistic environment regarding the period where the movie is set, constantly placing the actors in uncomfortable scenes.
It’s beautifully filmed by Ari Wegner (cinematographer), and the score (Jed Kurzel) is also really good. However, I didn’t feel invested in the story nor its characters. This was a challenging film to review simply because when I finished watching it, I didn’t really know how I felt. It rarely happens, but I was stuck in this place where I couldn’t figure out if I enjoyed it or not. I waited a whole day to start this article because I wanted to be sure that I would write a fair review.
With all honesty, I struggled to care about a single aspect story-wise. For more than one hour, the movie feels aimless to me. Ned grows from a kid to a man, his childhood is extremely detailed (Orlando Schwerdt is also great as a young Ned), and everything that ever happened to him or his family is explicitly shown on screen. I simply couldn’t find it captivating enough to hold my attention. The last thirty to forty minutes are a lot better, and the ending is impactful, as well as shocking…
But everything lacks that emotional attachment. I cared more about a certain animal dying by being shot than the actual humans. By the way, it’s a visually shocking film with tons of unrestrained killing, blood, and all sorts of nudity. If you’re sensitive to these aspects, you’ve been warned. It’s a slow-burn where Ned’s life is the driving force of the narrative, but I find it very difficult to be enthralled by the experience. It’s horrible (and lazy) to write it, I know, but I did find it a tad boring.
Maybe knowing the actual real-life story beforehand would help, I’m not entirely sure. I just want to be clear in my review that I don’t feel like I’m the target audience for this movie. It genuinely feels like a film made for people who already know what they’re getting into. Either that or the movie really doesn’t do enough to bring Shaun Grant’s screenplay to life in a compelling manner…
Final Thoughts
All in all, True History of the Kelly Gang is technically marvelous, and it boasts a phenomenal cast, who all offer amazing performances. George MacKay is a fantastic lead, proving that he deserves bigger roles in Hollywood, while Thomasin McKenzie is the main surprise. Beautifully shot, great score, outstanding production design, and visually shocking scenes create a realistic and engaging atmosphere, but all of this isn’t enough to overcome the film’s storytelling issues. With a slow pace and an overall lack of emotional attachment to the characters, I struggled to feel invested in any aspect story-wise. Its almost non-existent marketing overseas insinuates that it might not be a movie for someone who doesn’t have any knowledge about this real-life Australian gang. I recommend it for its technical attributes, but I can’t deny that I’m probably never watching it again.
