ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

Melanie Bouvet The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Billie Morin This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

wes-connors In 1871 Australia, heroic young Heath Ledger (as Ned Kelly) is sent to prison for horse-thievery. After serving three years, Mr. Ledger returns to the warm bosom of his close-knit Irish Catholic family. He and playboy best friend Orlando Bloom (as Joe Byrne) range, drink, and fight with their friends. When a policeman tries to pick up his sister in a bar, Ledger's anger is aroused. Alas, the Australian police force is loyal to the crown, not the peasants; and, Ledger is tired of being harshly punished by the "bloody maggots." With Mr. Bloom, brother Laurence Kinlan (as Dan Kelly), and mysterious Philip Barantini (as Steve Hart), Ledger forms "The Kelly Gang" of bank-robbers. Despite being outlaws, the handsome quartet become quite popular with the locals. But, killing policemen could shorten the lads' lives considerably… Director Gregor Jordan and photographer Oliver Stapleton handle the beautiful Australia setting.For this nicely-produced revision, the legendary "Ned Kelly" receives assistance from writer John Michael McDonagh's adaptation of Robert Drewe's "Our Sunshine" (1991) biography. This story opens with approximately eleven-year-old "Ned" saving another boy from drowning; and, it is this "Rosebud" moment which shapes our hero's life. This makes for very effective storytelling, but all is not well. Romantic interest Naomi Watts (as Julia Cook) is very beautiful, but we do not see enough of her and, frankly, her role in the outlaw's life seems hopelessly contrived. Conversely, the character played by Mr. Barantini is too ill-defined. Getting the green and gold sash, Geoffrey Rush (as Frances Hare) serves brief but more assessable adversarial role. Also, keep an eye on Joel Edgerton (as Aaron Sherritt) for outstanding support.****** Ned Kelly (3/22/03) Gregor Jordan ~ Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Joel Edgerton, Naomi Watts

paul2001sw-1 There can be few more enduring myths than the myth of the Celt: earthy, emotional, fun-loving, loyal, brave, against the system, irresistible to women, and also persecuted, the latter by another stereotypical type, the cold, heartless, cruel, authority-wielding Englishman. I didn't know a lot about Ned Kelly (an Australian outlaw of Irish descent) before watching this film, and having watched it, I feel I still don't know a lot about his story; except that, supposedly, it is exactly the same as that of William Wallace, or of just about any character in any film who joined the I.R.A. (the fact that the villains in this story may have been Australian born is a minor point; they're spiritually English in every way that counts). It's a narrative that never seems to die: there are echoes of it even in 'Titanic', or, with a different persecuted minority, 'The Last of the Mohicans'. Now, I'm English but I'm not a blind patriot; I know my country has done some pretty shameful things and I'm quite willing to watch any story of English perfidy providing it has something new to tell me about the human condition. But even on the off chance that this film actually tells me the truth about the Kelly gang, that's still no defence for a lazy, clichéd story that allows its audience the comfort of imagining themselves as heroic rebels instead of asking how and why they themselves are part of the same system they would affect to decry. Judged purely as a film, 'Ned Kelly' is competent, even dramatic; but a story about the man who shot him might have been so much more interesting.

Steph3008 Fantastic movie. One to excite all 5 senses. Is not a true historical report and not all information is to be taken as factual information. True Hollywood conventions used, like playing A list and VERY attractive actors as the 'heroes', such as Naomi Watts (Julia Cook - Ned Kelly's lover), Heath Ledger (Ned) and Orlando Bloom (Joe Byrne - Ned's right hand man), and unattractive (sorry Geoffrey Rush) actors play the drunken and corrupt Victorian Police Force. This also instills a very unreliable love story into the mix between Ned (Ledger) and Julia Cook (Watts) to entice all the romantics, females being especially susceptible. Even from the first scene, when Ned saves the fat youth from drowning and his dad calls him "sunshine" and had a "glint in his eye as he looked down at me, his hand on me shoulder," it is very romanticized and persuades viewers to side with Ned Kelly, the underdog. Besides, don't all Aussies love an underdog?

adrian_maxwell This is the worst film we have ever seen. Heath Ledger's beard was the worst stick on beard since Charlton Heston played Moses in that film. It was a travesty when the monkey got shot, but we held back our tears when Bloom said 'Ha, the monkey's been shot'. Which just goes to show how heartless the Kelly gang were. Anyway, what had the monkey done, didn't the police know there was an innocent monkey inside the inn? We bet most of the reviewers (who seemed to spend all the film in tears) didn't spot the fate of the monkey. We just knew the lion was going to get it too. What was the point of that and what was the point of the horse blood scene? Does anyone have the recipe for wombat stew? Sad to say, as we write this (25/01/08) Heath Ledger will not be remembered for this film. We hope the aborigine was paid for his walk on part, it was the only realistic, authentic and professional part of the film where the director seemed to have something in mind. Was it Jimmie Blacksmith? For an idea of the directorial standards in this film see what the director is up to in 2009.