Ned Kelly is called the Robin Hood of Australian history and pop culture. Recognized by many Australians as the only "heroic" colonial figure, Ned is a symbol of resistance to authority. He has symbolic importance to national identity through his larrikinism, charm and care towards his family and friends. Despite this, many still consider him a scandalous outlaw. A winner of this tug-of-war in the media, however, is emerging following the release of the 2003 film “Ned Kelly” directed by Gregor Jordan and the poem “Freedom,” written by Oodgeroo Noonuccal, as both portray Ned as a social bandit virtuous but unfortunate, who embodied the Australian identity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In the 2003 film, “Ned Kelly,” the Australian bushranger is portrayed as an ordinary man caught up in a series of events who simply had no control over it. This is shown when Ned is chasing Kennedy at Stringybark Creek. Judging by the duration of the chase, Ned had every chance of killing or at least aiming for Kennedy, but he doesn't. Kennedy fires and Ned returns fire. This suggests that Ned was only trying to save himself. Furthermore, Ned approaches the policeman with frustration and anguish at the thought that he is now a murderer, so he desperately tries to save him. The camera, accompanied by dark lighting, remains on Ned's stressed face. The only sounds present in the background are the sound of birds foraging, Ned's repeated apologies, and the Kennedys' screams, which attract the audience's attention. With an expression of sympathy, Ned puts the policeman out of his misery and pain. Only the sound of departing birds remains. Birds were a repeated symbol of Ned's actions throughout the film. After saving Richard Shelton, his courage is represented through an eagle in flight. However, the birds in flight are a sign from Ned, which will forever taint his reputation as a "hero". This scene forces the audience to wonder what really happened during the Stringybark Creek shooting. “Didn't Ned shoot Kennedy because he was trying to avoid capture?” "I didn't know Ned tried to save him." Was the Stringybark Creek incident just a freak accident? The audience continues to question the truth of his crimes when the Kelly Gang robs the Jerilderie Bank later in the film. Ned orders Steve Hart to return a watch he stole from a citizen. When Hart does so, the man calls them common criminals, which angers Ned. The camera shows him frustratingly combing his head, sighing heavily. This implies that Ned, although a vigilante, was not ruthless or cold-blooded. Jordan uses mise en scene, particularly costume design, to emphasize this. Instead of the riding boots, khaki pants, and belts that a typical outlaw would sport, Kelly's gang is dressed similarly to the people around them. He doesn't look like your typical filthy outlaw. This neat costume also reflects his behavior towards the hostages as he does not beat them or threaten them. When he explains his actions, he justifies them by saying that he is trying to save his family and friends who have been illegally imprisoned. Let me ask you this: If your family were thrown into prison for no reason, would you just let them rot? I didn't think so. This tests the audience's perspective of not only Ned, but also the Victorian police. Ned explains that the reason for his mother's incarceration was due to "the lies of a named cop.