Gesetzlos - Die Geschichte des Ned Kelly

Due to reading bad reviews and being told by friends that they couldn't believe how bad it was, I didn't go and see this film at the cinema. After watching it on DVD, I have to say I regret that now. I'm not saying it is brilliant, but I would venture to say that it is a good movie. I enjoyed it.

People have skulls thicker than Ned's helmet if they go to see a movie like this and expect it to be a documentary. If you read up the actual history behind most movies based on historical figures, there is usually a huge difference between the fact and the fictional portrayal. I don't think Ganghis Kahn has ever once been portrayed even remotely close to historical fact. What kind of man Ned Kelly actually was is a matter of debate, and quite passionate it seems. In spite of the efforts of governments and some historians, Ned Kelly has become a legend. Legends are stories, and stories say as much about those who tell and listen to them as they do about the actual figure himself. Ned Kelly has become such a popular identity because he does represent that aspect of Australian culture that doesn't trust or accept authority. A society in which there is no dissent or challenge to authority is crazier and more dangerous than any bushranger.

So not expecting this to be an accurate recreation of the historical Kelly gang, I actually found it a surprisingly unencumbered and refreshing movie. It was sentimental and romantic, but thankfully not anywhere as cheesy as it could have been; for my fellow Australians, watch 'The Lighthorseman' and you will see what I mean (it is a pity the way that story was treated so poorly). Perhaps the love affair business could have been forsaken for a bit more detail in other areas, such as the shooting of the troopers. Ironically, I actually enjoyed the movie because of that, because it would be those details that most of the focus on Ned's story would dwell. And they are the details of the story that are best discovered by reading the different viewpoints given by the various historians.

This movie was always going to have a hard time, having make a compromise of appealing to a global movie market (to pay the pills) and the legend as it means to Australians; perhaps a little of Ned's spirit is in this movie, because I think it rebelled against people's expectations, and unfortunately missed both targets. Fortunately it made for an enjoyable quirk of a film. For me it was an unexpected kind of movie about Ned, and that is why I liked it. Orlando Bloom's performance did a lot for the movie too - he really added something. I think he would have enjoyed being the monster instead of the pretty elf, for a change.

When you consider some other movies that are far worse than this one, your opinion of this movie should be reconsidered. Send me this on DVD for christmas rather than Croc Dundee or The Man From Snowy River anytime.

"Ned Kelly" is a straight-forward re-telling of the legendary Australian who has a powerful symbolism as both an outlaw and a revolutionary.

It is not based on the award-winning novel by Peter Carey, "True History of the Ned Kelly Gang," because the rights to that were taken by the Irish Neil Jordan to the consternation of nationalists who rallied around this adaptation of Robert Drewe's "Our Sunshine." But, oddly, though Drewe is listed as a co-producer, this chronological narrative by first-timer John M. McDonagh flattens out the power of the novella's focus on the final three-days' battle that's as important to Australia as "Remember the Alamo!" is to Texans.

Director Gregor Jordan particularly undercuts the core of Kelly's transformation in the public imagination from petty criminal to charismatic Robin Hood to uprising leader against injustice by barely letting Heath Ledger dictate a few lines of the so-called 'Jerilderie Letter' perhaps because it is the powerful centerpiece of the voice of the Carey book. Ledger's basso voice-over connectors do resonate.

Jordan opts for portends of the key confrontation that will only be caught by those familiar with the legend -- Kelly idly looking through an illustrated book about body armor, the loading up of the infamous train that will carry the police to the attack, and Geoffrey Rush replaying his Inspector Javert, but with only implications of a "Les Miserables" back story.

Jordan presides over an excellent recreation of the milieu of the time. There's a strong visual evocation in the art and set direction of time, place, and geography, especially with Oliver Stapleton's beautiful cinematography. The social class differences between descendants of POMmies (Prisoners of his Majesty) and their British overlords, are documented starkly, particularly in carrying over the Irish vs. British conflict to another continent (though the bland music score misses a real opportunity to illustrate that, with only a couple of traditional Celtic songs literally stuck in).

Non-Aussie Orlando Bloom makes quite a dashing Joe Byrne, Kelly's best friend, attracting Rachel Griffiths in a somewhat silly cameo, and many other recognizable Australian actors pass through.

Unfortunately, Naomi Watts and Ledger can be added to the lengthy list of real-life lovers who evince little reel chemistry -- did that only work to our benefit for Bogart/Bacall and Tracy/Hepburn?

I'm tired of people judging films on their "historical accuracy". IT'S A MOVIE PEOPLE!! The writers and directors are supposed to put their own spin into the story! There are a number of movies out there that aren't entirely accurate with the history....Braveheart, Wyatt Earp, Gangs of New York, Geronimo: An American Legend, The Last of the Mohicans....all fantastic films that are mildly inaccurate historically. If you want to see a few great actors do what they do best, then I suggest you see this film and don't worry about the accuracy of the facts. Just enjoy the quality of the film, the storyline and one of the greatest actors of our time.

A film about the legendary outlaw whose story outgrew his life , it is based on the true events of famous 19th-century Outback bandit, an authentic legend which results to be the Australian's most ambiguous outlaw. A man (Heath Ledger) called Ned Kelly and his family are mistreated by Australians guards .He turns to steal horses that had been previously robbed to him . He gets deeply drawn into crime life and eventually becomes a policemen killer . Meanwhile , he falls in love of an unhappy married woman (Naomi Watts) . He forms an Irish band (Orlando Bloom) battling the British Empire but the oppressed people called them heroes and are relentlessly pursued by an astute , stubborn official (Geoffrey Rush, winner Oscar for Shine) . You can kill a man but not a legend. When the law tried to silence him a legend was born. The British Empire branded them as outlaws. The oppressed called them heroes.

The film is an Australian Western made completely by Aussies with action , drama , shootouts, a love story and a lot of violence. It's a pretty solid movie narrating the confrontation between the Irish rebels and the English forces and holds up very well. The essential of this picture is the outlaw hunt that results in a great load of gunplay and deaths. The movie benefits tremendously from Oliver Stapleton's (Casanova) frequently ravishing cinematography , although is sometimes dark , as film longtime is developed at night and interior scenarios. It contains a sensitive and rousing musical score by Klaus Badelt (K19 , Pirates of the Caribbean) .The motion picture was well pfotographed and competently directed by Gregor Jordan who dramatizes accurately the life of this famous outlaw and his henchmen. Before being adapted in an Australian version by Sterling (1960) and by Tony Richardson also titled Ned Kelly (1970) starred by Mick Jagger .

Gregor Jordan is going to be great. I have no idea when but he is heading places. Along with this I have only seen two other films he has directed which were Two Hands which was unreal to say the least and Buffalo Soldier which was bloody great and Ned Kelly.

When first seeing this I was excited more than I should have been because I was dying to see a new western, but I don't know whether you would call this a western as it is not set in the west like other American films, this is set in Australia telling the story of legendary outlaw Ned Kelly, a young man who never got on the right side of the law who was raised from an Irish family.

To make the film even better it is directed and starring an Australian. Heath Ledger is sporting an Irish accent in the film which is faultless.

The supporting cast is just as good with Orlando Bloom playing Kelly's best friend Steve along with Naomi Watt's as Kelly's love interest but I wouldn't even call her that as she's not even in it. Geoffrey Rush is not used as much as he should have been as the man chasing Kelly. You feel that Gregor Jordan had the key to the sweet shop in Ned Kelly but didn't take full advantage of it. Geoffrey Rush was only in key scenes but there wasn't much introduction to who he was and his interest in Kelly like in the end when he asks Kelly if he can keep an item of his and Kelly looks at him thinking `Why'. it would have been an interest to see what he really thought of him, he just acts under orders to capture him and that's it. Naomi Watts is the same. So much there but not taken.

As far as the story goes this is not such based on his biography but a novel written by Robert Drewe Called Our Sunshine which is a famous phrase that Ned Kelly's father called him. It's a strong story with terrific acting but the script wasn't long enough to make it into the epic it could have been. Sure enough there is plenty in the film to keep it's audience happy but it doesn't really give you the feel you are hoping for. It's goes down in the books of films that could have been so much more and even though this is still a very good film, it had the opportunity to be a masterpiece but if only the script was up to the task there would be a lot more people talking about this story.