On the plus side, Heath Ledger as the taciturn hero carries the film well ... but at its best Ned Kelly offers a very Australian treatment of the most Australian of legends.

Wearing a homemade suit of armor, Ned Kelly faced off against police in a final showdown that became the stuff of legend.

Though recognized for heroism as a lad, Ned Kelly can not escape the stigma of being the eldest of a brood sired by a known criminal. In days when an arrest equaled guilt and a conviction ...