It's 1867 Australia. Ned Kelly is a young boy in a troubled petty criminal Irish family harassed by the authorities. After his father's death, many men come seeking out his mother (Essie Davis). She sold him to bandit Harry Power (Russell Crowe) and hoped that he would teach him to be the same ruthless man. Over the years, Ned is pulled into the crime world by his mother. He falls for Mary Hearn (Thomasin McKenzie) and crosses Constable Fitzpatrick (Nicholas Hoult). It becomes a local war as Ned gains inspiration from the American warship Monitor.
In this version, Ned is a reluctant criminal. He is pushed into revolt. The most intriguing is his relationship with his mother. I like the section with kid Ned. It's something different and a compelling tale. There are a few awkward turns as he transitions into an all-out revolutionary. There is a lot of quickie character development. As for the final shootout, it's interesting to have that artistic flare but it's not as thrilling. This is almost like two separate movies. The most compelling story arc is his childhood which has an interesting take on the character.
In this version, Ned is a reluctant criminal. He is pushed into revolt. The most intriguing is his relationship with his mother. I like the section with kid Ned. It's something different and a compelling tale. There are a few awkward turns as he transitions into an all-out revolutionary. There is a lot of quickie character development. As for the final shootout, it's interesting to have that artistic flare but it's not as thrilling. This is almost like two separate movies. The most compelling story arc is his childhood which has an interesting take on the character.