Sensational Hardy in a Stylishly Entertaining Crime Drama

Rating: 9/10 (2 January 2016)

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)
Rating: 4.3/5 stars
Identical twin thugs Reggie and Ronnie Kray ruled London's criminal underworld in the 1960s, and depending upon who you ask, the brothers were either barking mad or quite charming. Or both. Despite their violent natures, the twins hung out with some of the most popular figures of their time, and became celebrities themselves; they owned clubs frequented by aristocrats and movie stars, and were even photographed at the height of their infamy by portraitist (and fellow east ender) David Bailey.
That combination of grit and glitter in their story makes its way into "Legend", a film about the Krays that stars Tom Hardy as both Reg and Ron. Since every Londoner has a Kray tale to tell, there have been a few quibbles about the story told in "Legend", but nobody can dispute the sheer genius of Hardy's dual performance. Director Brian Helgeland finds his way into the story (which is loosely based on one of John Pearson's books) through Frances Shea (Emily Browning), Reggie Kray's wife. Frances narrates various parts of the proceedings, casting light on the brothers' criminal activities as well as on their relationship to one another.
"Legend" depicts Reggie as a stable criminal mastermind while Ronnie — eventually diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic with borderline psychosis, and institutionalized at Broadmoor — is depicted as far more volatile and violent. Ron is openly gay in this version of the Kray's life story, although in real life, both brothers were thought to be bisexual and possibly incestuous. Complicated but simplified here, as are other details of their lives. And though the appropriate murders are shown and the guys are pursued by detective Nipper Reid (Christopher Eccleston) as in real life, but "Legend" seems more interested in the Krays' domestic and emotional life, such as it was, than in their criminal undertakings. The movie delivers the brothers as established adult gangsters, illustrating their move up the crime ladder via business overtures from the American mob.
For such a gritty story, "Legend" turns out to be beautiful to look at, full of perfect and lustrous period detail and appealing music and costumes; all but the most violent crime moments have an odd, darkly comic element to them.
It seems fair to say that "Legend" doesn't set itself up to be the definitive Kray story, but it's hellishly entertaining. And it's not short of thrills either, the biggest of which is Hardy's performance as the twin gangsters. According to the Director, the technical tricks involved in presenting one actor as a set of twins haven't changed much since Hayley Mills starred in "The Parent Trap" more than five decades ago. What's required to make it all fly are superb performances: Tom Hardy certainly scores on that front, and then some.