Legend

Tom Hardy felt like a dual role and a dual role he got. And truth be told, he did a more-or-less good job portraying the two brothers, who are both criminals and who are each a little different. It’s a pity that the movie only starts getting really interesting once their entire empire begins to crumble apart. At that point, Legend capitalized on the entire story, which was otherwise not that interesting, and the movie prepared a rather tragic unravelling of the plot. And that was good. Mainly because the story was written by life itself. I actually felt really sad at the end of the movie about the human tragedy. (03/10/2016)

Tom Hardy is absolutely stunning in the dual role and one wonders why he didn't get an Oscar nomination for this film. 2015 was definitely his year, even though he didn't win any big awards. The films with him were great, and Legend turned out pretty well too, especially in how it escalates the self-destruction of the brothers. By the way, the film features an excellent period depiction of London. (06/03/2016)

The only thing that puts this intimate gangster retro flick in the flattering company of the "must see" is Tom Hardy's flamboyantly chameleonic creation. The adage that life itself writes the best scripts doesn't apply here, because Helgeland has written a simple cinematic story flattened to the very worn out theme of "bad guys rising up", with the weight of the entire emotional and psychological aspect resting on Tom Hardy's performance – he makes the film work and not only makes it fun to watch, but also very fun to listen to, whether it's the arrogant teasing of the cops or gangsters or the irresistibly over-the-top sexual innuendo (Tom Hardy becomes the coolest gay man in movie history with this one). The imaginary tinsel of the past film year doesn’t belong to DiCaprio, Cruise or Pratt, it belongs to "Mad" Hardy. 70% (10/01/2016)

Organized crime in the USA had its golden years during the Prohibition era, while British organized crime had its most famous period in the 1950s and 1960s when London temporarily became the center of the world. The center of attention for tabloids and the public became the unmistakable Kray twins, who not only filled the pages dedicated to criminal offenses but also influenced fashion and socialized with showbiz stars. This is already the second film attempting to portray their life stories, and it must be said that Brian Helgeland managed to extract more than his predecessors. However, there is a problem from the audience's perspective - the film somewhat misleads them. The beginning follows a Tarantino-like style, and after the twins massacre a rival gang in an emotional collaboration, it seems like it will be a bloody and suspenseful ride. However, the film subsequently turns into a psychological drama, where one of the brothers' partners comes to terms with the knowledge that she has aligned her life with a sociopath, whose twin is a pure psychopath. It basically addresses the issue of Mrs. Schroeder from Atlantic City Mafia, who gets involved in a love affair with mafia boss Thompson and becomes entangled in the center of organized crime, fighting an endless battle between her conscience and her value system against the environment that surrounded her. The film is shot beautifully as a retro from the 1960s, showing that British cinematography is very capable. Many genre fans might sigh at the fact that the storyline following the Krays' growth, their domination of new neighborhoods, and the cleansing of the city from competition would be much more appealing to the audience. Overall impression: 80%. Tom Hardy lived up to expectations with his dual role. It may not be a big hit and will not rank high in the genre, but it has its good qualities. (05/01/2016)

Brian Helgeland should stick to writing scripts, because when he's behind the camera, his films have no drive and the result is bland. And that is doubly unfortunate for a retro gangster movie like this, as the form is OK, there aren’t life wisdom and truths, and there’s even less Chazz Palminteri, and the film's plot structure is just there because it has to be. Otherwise, it's Tom Hardy's one-man-show, and a very brilliant one at that. If I wanted to watch an appetiser and a main course in one night, I'd go with Legend and maybe Goodfellas. (17/10/2015)