Legend: The story of the Kray Twins

It seems that The Kray Twins have made more money for the British film industry than they did as gangsters.

Tom Hardy has taken on the mantel of both Ronnie and Reggie Kray Britain’s most notorious Gangster twins.

The Film revolves around the relationship between Ronnie and Frances Shea (Emily Browning) who also narrates the film. Along with Christopher Eccelston as Nipper Read, Taron Egerton as Mad Teddy.

The story stars when Reggie’s Driver Chris Shea Fails to him pick up before work (I do use the term work loosely).   Frances is intrigued by her brother’s employer and the relationship starts from there. Before you think that I’m writing a review of great romance sorry your wrong. It’s not long before the twins come into a spot of bova’ with the south London firm trying to over their patch. This is where you start to the less charming side of the twins especially Ronnie who is starting to suffer the effects of Paranoid Schophrinia comes into play.

Of course as the brother’s fame and influence creeps well beyond the criminal underworld even into the corridors of parliament, their sense of invulnerability grows.  The relationship between Frances and Reggie starts to take a turn for the worst as he become more involved in the life, running the club and stints at her majesties pleasure.   The twins fortune start to take a turn for the worst when Ronnie cements their reputation in British gangster history by walking into The Blind Beggar after hearing that a rival is wetting his whistle on their turf, and shooting him brown bread in front of the other punters.

Even the police can’t ignore a murder on their patch and reopen the investigation the noose starts to close around the boys. The final nails in the coffin for the twins is Ronnie’s paranoia gets the best of him as he asks Jack ‘The Hat ‘ Mc vitie to kill Leslie Payne (David Thewlis). Of course Jack manages to screw this up which leads to him being lured to a party and stabbed dead.

Tom Hardy is a great lead for both parts as he truly is menacing as London’s favourite gangsters twins.  I do hope that he gets something come award season. The rest of the cast are great at their respective roles.  The film also shows the twins obsession with celebrity especially Ronnie in the bar saying he wanted a proper shoot out like in a western. It seems that they where more interested for being gangsters than actually doing the business.   As for the film it’s wroth the watch mainly due to tom hardy’s performance as the twins what bugged me most was the historical inaccuracies that seem to have been added mainly the rape scene as there is no evidence to suggest this occurred.

The film delivers as expected. If you enjoyed Tom Hardy's performance check him out in Bronson. 

75% 

Witness the Power Of Street Knowlegde.

As promised I went to see the new movie about the album that changed rap forever.  The film tells the story of how Easy E along with Ice Cube played by his son and Doctor Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella came to toghter to form Nigga’s With Attitude against the backdrop of gang culture, drugs and a highly Racist police force in Compton through out the 1980’s.  The first part of the film sets up the group’s individual stories showing their personal struggles from easy E involvement in the highly dangerous drug culture and dodging the law.  Dre’s love of old soul and funk music whilst Djing in a run down disco for $50 a night and Ice cube ability to write lyrics. 

Eventually Easy decides to quit the drug game and along with the rest of the group set up a label. With a little help finding his swagger with the help of Dre in the studio recording the groups first EP that shot them to fame.  A trip to the pressing plan to resupply the label's stock, we are introduced to Paul Giammatti played by Jerry Heller. As the money and fame rolls in the strains start to show within the group along with suspicions of how the money is being divided.  

The story it self plays along well accompanied by some the songs from the original album long with new score composed by Dre.  I think that the involvement form the surviving members of the group does give the film much more grounded view of life at the time, in fairness I think there has been some embellishing by Dre and Ice cube.

I do think feel that some of the story has been slightly embellished by Dr Dre and Ice cube to make it more interesting and to drive the story.  I would recommend going to see this film especially if you are a rap fan. The cast do are convincing and story will grip you for its duration regardless whether you have listened to the album or not. It’s also a fitting tribute to Easy E who died of HIV.