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True History of the Kelly Gang

True History of the Kelly Gang

2019

R

Director

Justin Kurzel

Runtime

125 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Set against the badlands of Australia where the English rule with a bloody fist and the Irish endure, Ned Kelly discovers he comes from a line of Irish rebels — an uncompromising army of cross dressing bandits immortalised for terrorising their oppressors back in Ireland. Fuelled by the unfair arrest of his mother, Kelly recruits a wild bunch of warriors to plot one of the most audacious attacks of anarchy and rebellion the country has ever seen.

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Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

5.5/10

Fair


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film focuses on a hyper-masculine environment of 19th-century outlawry. There is no discernible presence of non-cisnormative identities or queer narratives.

Gender Representation

Limited

Women are largely relegated to domestic spheres, though the narrative highlights how systemic injustice impacts the family unit. The film explores masculinity through survival rather than subverting traditional hierarchies.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The film excels by depicting the Irish diaspora as a distinct ethnic identity. It disrupts Western archetypes by centering the friction between Irish immigrants and the Anglo-Saxon colonial establishment.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The story is deeply rooted in anti-colonial frameworks, portraying British administration as inherently corrupt. It prioritizes class struggle and frames criminality as a response to socioeconomic desperation.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no significant depiction of visible or invisible disabilities. No characters with disabilities serve as central plot devices within the narrative.

Strengths

  • Strong depiction of the Irish diaspora as a distinct, resisting ethnic identity.
  • Effective critique of colonial hegemony and corrupt institutional power.
  • Nuanced portrayal of class struggle and socioeconomic desperation.

Areas for Improvement

  • Complete lack of LGBTQ+ representation or non-cisnormative identities.
  • Minimal engagement with disability representation.
  • Limited subversion of traditional gender hierarchies and domestic roles.

AI Analysis

Justin Kurzel’s film is a sophisticated exploration of systemic victimhood and resistance. It succeeds by reframing the outlaw archetype through the lens of class struggle and post-colonial tension, moving beyond simple villainy to show the consequences of state-sanctioned oppression. However, the film remains narrow in its social scope. It lacks any engagement with LGBTQ+ or disability representation, adhering strictly to the period's social constraints and a hyper-masculine focus on survival and rebellion.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Religious & Cultural Representation in Film
  • Religious & Cultural Representation in Drama

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