A very good film with a stunning central performance

Rating: 8/10 (10 September 2015)

I've seen some poor films recently, e.g. 'No Escape' and (on DVD) 'The Holiday'. But 'Legend' makes up for them. It's a riveting film with a stunning performance by Tom Hardy as both Ronnie and Reggie Kray. His split-screen role never seems odd and his acting is simply spellbinding. The film has its faults. It's too visually arresting at times. A little less gloss and a little more spit and sawdust would have been appropriate. Some of the external scenes seem more like studio ones such is their overly pristine nature. And the character of Frances, Reggie's girlfriend, is not adequately developed. The reasons for her mental fragility are not properly explored. The soundtrack is superb. There are scenes of graphic violence but they are wholly germane to the film's theme. The talented supporting cast is uniformly excellent. But, above all, 'Legend' is Hardy's film. I rate it 8/10.