The film is based on Robert Drewe's 1991 novel Our Sunshine, which recounts the life of the Australian Folk Hero Ned Kelly.
Not to be confused with the 1970 film of the same title.
Ned Kelly provides examples of:
- Bad Cop/Incompetent Cop: The police of Victoria is corrupt and violent. In the beginning, a policeman shoots at Ned Kelly just because he supposes that Ned stole a horse. Later, the police steal horses. Constable Fitzpatrick also pretends that Ned Kelly shot at him.
- Better to Die than Be Killed: When they are overwhelmed by the police in Glenrowan Inn, Dan and Steve commit suicide.
- Biopic: The film recounts the life of Ned Kelly, from his childhood to his death.
- Bookends: The film opens with images of Ned Kelly as a child, saving another boy from drowning. These images are showed again in the end.
- Damsel in Distress: Ned's mother Ellen is sent to prison when his sons are on the run. Ned proposes to surrender in exchange for his mother's release, but the police refuses. In the end, Ned plans to kidnap Hare and to exchange him against Ellen.
- Dirty Cop: Constable Fitzpatrick harasses Ned's sister Kate. Ned protects Kate from him. In retaliation, Fitzpatrick steals the Kellys' horses. Later, he goes to the Kellys' and harasses Kate again. Dan and Joe protect Kate and wound Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick then pretends that Ned (who was not even there during the incident) shot at him.
- Feed the Mole: Ned and Joe suspect that Aaron Sherritt is an informant for the police. So they tell him that they plan to rob a bank in Beechworth. Then, they see that policemen are sent to Beechworth to protect the bank, so they understand that they were right and Joe kills Aaron in retaliation.
- The Film of the Book: The film is based on Robert Drewe's 1991 novel Our Sunshine.
- Fugitive Arc: During most of the film, Ned Kelly and his gang are on the run.
- Guns Akimbo: Happens several times in the movie, but notably in the final battle when Ned Kelly confronts the police.
- Historical Beauty Update: Heath Ledger impersonates Ned Kelly.
- Improvised Armour: Ned Kelly and his gang make improvised armours with metal sheets for the final battle.
- Just Got Out of Jail: Ned Kelly serves a three-year prison sentence. He gest out of jail in the beginning of the film.
- Justified Criminal: Ned Kelly and his accomplices are forced to commit murders and thefts because the police is prejudiced against them. In particular, Ned Kelly is framed up for an attack he did not commit.
- Just Like Robin Hood: Ned Kelly steals from the rich and he is quite popular with the poor, because he burns the mortgage deeds in the banks. He also gives a part of the money he steals to pay the rents of the farmers who are in jail.
- Kick the Dog: Julia Cook's husband shoots down a horse which is too wild to be tamed. This is used to show that he is a jerkass and that Julia Cook is a Mal Mariée.
- Last Stand: In the end, Ned Kelly and his gang defend Glenrowan Inn against many policemen. They are owerwhelmed, but they fight until the end. Only Ned Kelly survives the battle.
- Lovable Rogue: Ned Kelly commits several crimes (murders and thefts), but the audience roots for him, because he is forced to do so because the police is unfair to him.
- Mal Mariée: Julia Cook is married with an older jerkass. She is charmed by Ned Kelly and cheats on her husband with him.
- Meet Cute: Ned meets Julia when she is looking for help because the bladder of one of her horses is paralized with the colic. Ned helps her.
- A Minor Kidroduction: The film opens with images of Ned Kelly as a child, saving another boy from drowning.
- My Fist Forgives You: When Ned goes out of jail, he has an organised bare knuckle boxing match with the man who ratted him out to avoid prison himself. Ned curb stomps the guy and then they're friends again.
- Outlaw: Ned Kelly and his gang are outlaws and anyone is allowed shoot at them on sight.
- Protagonist Title: Ned Kelly is the protagonist of the film.
- The Siege: In the end, Ned Kelly and his gang defend Glenrowan Inn against many policemen.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Ned Kelly and Julia Cook fall in love, but they cannot live together, because Julie is already married. Moreover, Ned and Julia belong to very different social classes.
- The Stool Pigeon: Aaron Sherritt gives information about the Kelly gang to the police because of the reward, but also because he thinks that it is the best way to save his friend Joe Byrne. When Ned and Joe discover it, they kill him.
- Sympathetic Adulterer: Julia Cook cheats on her husband with Ned Kelly. This is justified by the fact that her husband is an older jerkass.
- Uptown Girl: The poor Ned Kelly and the rich Julia Cook fall in love.
- Villainous Crush: Constable Fitzpatrick falls for Ned's sister Kate.
- "Where Are They Now?" Epilogue: In the end, captions tell that Ned Kelly was finally hanged in spite of a petition asking for a pardon.
- Worthy Opponent: Superintendent Francis Hare considers Ned Kelly as a worthy opponent. When a constable refers to Kelly and his accomplices as a "animals", Hare calls him out for that and tells him not to underestimate them.
