Legend is based on the rises and falls of the Kray twins, London's most notorious gangsters from the 1960's. Their ownership and power over the police, clubs and London's aristocracy are shown along with the softer sides to them; relationships and their loyalty to each other.
The one thing that makes Legend so different to other gangster films is the outstanding performance by Tom Hardy. Playing both Ronnie and Reggie Kray, Hardy differentiates between both of the twins to create completely different characters with such ease. However, the similarities between the twins are evident and Hardy plays on the humour of the script to show this.
The editing and camera work are also brilliant, especially those scenes that feature both Kray twins.
Obviously in a film like this we expect, and want, to see a lot of crime and fighting. And there is a lot of this. The scenes are directed to be hideous but the way in which they are shown also makes them easy to watch and interesting. After all, we want to see how the Kray twins behaved and how they fought to gain the power that they had.
However, we also see a lot of more emotional scenes that work to give us information on both Ronnie and Reggie's personal lives. The open honesty from Ronnie about his sexuality and his mental illness show him as a sensitive character, who looks up to and depends on his brother. And Reggie's relationship; the passion between him and Frances in the build up to their marriage and the break-down of their relationship and the difficulties she faces being married to a gangster.
Legend is brilliant throughout. The clever scripting not only gives the audience a sense of reality and an honest view on what life was like for the Kray twins, but adds humour and class to the film, making it a joy to watch. Along with fantastic music, costume and iconic shots, this 60's gangster film is a must see!
The editing and camera work are also brilliant, especially those scenes that feature both Kray twins.
Obviously in a film like this we expect, and want, to see a lot of crime and fighting. And there is a lot of this. The scenes are directed to be hideous but the way in which they are shown also makes them easy to watch and interesting. After all, we want to see how the Kray twins behaved and how they fought to gain the power that they had.
However, we also see a lot of more emotional scenes that work to give us information on both Ronnie and Reggie's personal lives. The open honesty from Ronnie about his sexuality and his mental illness show him as a sensitive character, who looks up to and depends on his brother. And Reggie's relationship; the passion between him and Frances in the build up to their marriage and the break-down of their relationship and the difficulties she faces being married to a gangster.
Legend is brilliant throughout. The clever scripting not only gives the audience a sense of reality and an honest view on what life was like for the Kray twins, but adds humour and class to the film, making it a joy to watch. Along with fantastic music, costume and iconic shots, this 60's gangster film is a must see!
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