Is Legend (2015) actually worth the watch?

Legend is this upcoming 2015 crime thriller from Brian Helgeland, and honestly, it’s pretty huge because it's his first big move back into crime adaptations since L.A. Confidential.

It’s actually based on John Pearson's book *The Profession of Violence*, which dives into the whole rise and fall of those infamous Kray twins—their crazy bond and that brutal criminal run that ended with them getting life sentences back in '69.

It’s hitting theaters this September!

The cast is stacked: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Colin Morgan, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald, and Taron Egerton.

Check out the trailer here:

By the way, the track in the trailer is "Running Scared" by Roy Orbison. Pretty iconic, right? 👍

I can't wait!

I’m fully expecting Hardy to absolutely nail both roles.😁

What an absolutely stellar cast! It’s just such a perfect blend—you’ve got those rising stars coming up through the ranks, all the way down to the seasoned veterans who really know their stuff... it just works perfectly.

Quote:

Jesse Anderson2 says: Trailer The track used in this trailer is "Running Scared" by Roy Orbison. 👍

The classic "pleasant cinema experience." It actually was. Over two hours long, and it never drags. Sure, the third act feels a bit sluggish. But it’s not just a momentary dip; the entire final third loses steam. Or maybe the first two acts set it up poorly? I bring this up often regarding films—when one part doesn't mesh correctly with the rest. Helgeland clearly isn't a true director; he can't decide if this is a comedy about gangsters or a gangster flick with comedic elements. There's a distinction there. On one hand, you have the Kray brothers acting like cartoon villains, and on the other, they're heavy, intense psychopaths. I'm not saying those styles can't coexist, but there's a better way to execute it. One way that would have actually worked for me. Regardless, the movie is fine. Hardy is his usual reliable self. It's a blast watching him; you can tell he's having a field day with this dual role. Visually, Helgeland's direction is solid. He clearly studied the genre. The cinematography suggests his biggest influence is Scorsese during the Goodfellas era, though you can see traces of Guy Ritchie and even some early Coppola.

7.2

Joshua Smith5 said:..
I'm not saying they don't work together, but there’s gotta be a better way to show it. Or at least a way that actually clicks for me.

I'm with you on most of this, except for that bit about the third act being a drag😁.
especially when you mention 👍, because honestly, part of it totally gave me Richie vibes.

Overall, I loved it... that scene where Reggie goes back to his mom after all that crap from Ron, then that fight after Frances starts talking trash, and that final line to his brother 🙏

and obviously, Hardy 🙂 🙂

Some people have been complaining that the final third of the movie drags on a bit too much, but we have to remember this is a film based on actual events. Even if the director had wanted to inject some sort of high-octane spectacle at the end, he couldn't have—he was bound by the reality of what actually happened.

What a total joke 😁

And the lead actor? 😲 I spent the whole time feeling like I was watching two different people playing one role 🙏🙏

Let's go! I'm on a serious roll lately. This is actually my third solid movie in a row at the theater. It's been a minute since I've had a streak like this, and honestly, I only ended up seeing this one because Mars was in a different screening time. I can't blame anyone but the LA Times for the mix-up.
Anyway, it’s a great, breezy dark comedy about old-school gangsters from back when they settled most beefs with their fists. Back then, if you pulled a gun, you were looking at a long stretch behind bars!👍

Grace Sanders24 said:It was, for the most part, an excellent—if somewhat lighthearted—dark comedy about criminals from a much better era. It’s that kind of period where most disagreements were settled with nothing more than a good old-fashioned fistfight—back when if you actually decided to pull a gun, you’d probably end up serving a massive stretch in federal prison!👍

Exactly that—I have to say, I was expecting a whole lot more from this movie... It’s probably fine for a single viewing, I guess, but nothing special.

The movie was actually fantastic 👍
That brotherly relationship is portrayed perfectly 🙏
That crazy guy Ronnie 🤣

Grace Sanders24 said:No way! I am on a serious roll lately! This marks my third consecutive trip to the theater for a movie that was actually high quality. It has been quite some time since I’ve had a streak like this, and honestly, I only caught this one by accident because that Martian actor was scheduled for a different screening. I blame the New York Post for the scheduling mix-up!
Essentially, it is a brilliant, breezy black comedy centered on criminals from a much more elegant era—back when most disputes were settled with fists rather than firearms, because if they had opted for guns, they would have ended up behind bars for life!👍

Back then, violent shootouts weren't even out of the ordinary. People were getting taken out left and right. The reason they always fell was that they committed murders right in front of crowds of witnesses. All it took was one person to squeal, and it was game over for the Kray brothers. That is exactly why Ronnie used to complain about how much people hated them and how too many eyes were on their business. Because of his schizophrenia, he lived in constant paranoia that someone would snitch, yet his own illness made it impossible for him to control his impulses.

Sent from my C1505 using Reddit

Emily Browning, absolute perfection.

Her suits are flawless.

Ronnie.

Rather than focusing on gritty street crime and underworld dealings, New York City becomes more of a backdrop for family dynamics between brother Kray and the tragic romance between Reggie and Frances. In "Legend," those raw, visceral gangster stories from the East Side are largely missing; instead of a high-stakes crime thriller, we’re left with a somewhat lukewarm biographical drama centered on Hardy's one-man show. While Hardy delivers a solid performance, the film really shines through its production design, particularly with the vintage American muscle cars and those classic mid-century lounges that perfectly capture the vibe of the swinging sixties. Ultimately, "Legend" feels a bit too sanitized for a story about supposed "demons"; it leaves you with the impression that the Kray brothers weren't quite "gangster" enough, given how easily they seem to fold in their upscale suits without a single shot being fired.

Read more at - LINK

Eric Hayes61 said:Rather than focusing on the grit of organized crime, the film leans heavily into the family dynamics of brother Kray and the tragic romance between Reggie and Frances. It feels like the actual underworld tales from the East Side were left on the cutting room floor, leaving us with what essentially amounts to a tepid biographical drama centered around Hardy's one-man performance.

For anyone feeling let down by this one, I’d suggest tracking down the nineties film *The Krays* instead.👍👍

Nothing groundbreaking here, but it was an entertaining enough ride that flew by. Hardy absolutely crushed it, especially in his role as Ronald. The cinematography looks sharp and the soundtrack is solid—I particularly liked this track.



It felt a bit heavy on the family and romance drama given the subject matter, but I didn't mind it too much. 7/10.

A solid movie! I think Hardy has way more potential and charisma than most of those overhyped American actors.

Honestly, this was pretty weak. It felt more like a half-baked attempt at a gangster movie parody than anything else. I get that it’s based on a true story, but the whole thing comes off way too goofy to actually get sucked into the narrative. Hardy just wasn't bringing his A-game here, and if there's any redeeming quality to be found, it’s strictly the cinematography.

The only saving grace here has to be Hardy and how gorgeous everything looks on screen. But man, after those first 20 minutes, the whole thing just veers off into this weird direction and completely falls apart... I don't know, maybe if I’d caught this in a theater when it first dropped, I would've liked it more. Watching it now, the whole experience is just kind of meh ☕