Legend (2015)

Review:

Two for the price of one: Tom Hardy gives standout performances fighting and frolicking in this fun, but flawed, film.

Legend, directed by Brian Helgeland (most notably the screenwriter of the sensational L.A. Confidential), stars Tom Hardy in a double-act performance as both Ronnie and Reggie Kray – the infamous East End gangsters. Their story has frequently been told, showing them to be vilified, glamourised, or even a bit of both… so can Legend’s re-telling pack a punch?

I was relieved that the film certainly does take a different stance on the Kray twins’ story, and I can say assuredly that Legend is much more enjoyable than 1990’s The Krays, which starred the rather non-twin-looking Kemp brothers. Whilst Legend’s narrative prefers to focus on “epic” fight scenes and the Krays at their darkest, instead of exploring how they became that way, it was superb to see a version that is finally steering away from the usual story of them simply being psychopathic mummy’s boys – I’ve always found it aggravating that people underestimate and deny the Krays’ personal accountability for their own actions. In a culture where blame (especially on mothers for their child’s behaviour) is still so commonplace, it’s refreshing to witness an alternative in this film. 

I also applaud how the film managed the illusion of Tom Hardy playing both brothers, and, of course, Hardy’s two very strong performances in recreating these two completely different people onscreen. Hardy masterfully moves from true brotherly tenderness and love to bursting with ferocity and frustration within a single frame, and it’s extraordinary to witness. Apart from some slightly fumbled and awkward fight scenes between the two characters, which, understandably, must have been extremely difficult to film, there wasn’t a minute where you would doubt that you were watching two identical twins onscreen. Another great aspect of Legend is how both Hardy and the script don’t shy away from Ronnie’s homosexuality and mental health problems – there is one particular piece of dialogue that might have you rolling in the aisle! However, the film ultimately belongs to saner of the two: Reggie.

Emily Browning, likewise, gives a solid performance as Reggie’s wife Frances. Browning skilfully demonstrates that just because Frances was “mentally fragile”, it doesn’t mean she wasn’t also a fiery and plucky force. Both Hardy and Browning give sterling individual performances, but when it came to Reggie and Frances’s relationship, I personally felt it was portrayed as quite shallow and unconvincing. Additionally, the movie’s narrative was guided using Frances’s viewpoint as a voiceover, but it really didn’t require it. The narrative basically wasn’t consistent throughout the film, which is one thing it should be in this sort of film; it simply distracted from the flow of the plot, jarring when it did pop up again suddenly here and there.

Nevertheless, Legend is a visual treat. The graphics and production design create a dramatic 60s London landscape, and I’ve always been a sucker for 60s costumes! Whilst the movie may not be a momentous piece of filmmaking, I feel it successfully captivates its audience enough to warrant multiple watches in the future - if only for a double dose of Tom Hardy.