The Revenant (2015) Review

The Revenant is the film everyone is talking about – the film that has finally won Leonardo DiCaprio his well-deserved Oscar. But is it everything that it has been hyped up to be? In a nutshell; no.

I don’t know whether my expectations were set far too high or this film just didn’t have the WOW factor it was made out to have but I found it long, dragged out and for the most part, uneventful.

The Revenant is based on true events and revolves around fur-trapper, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is left for dead  after a vicious bear attack in the early 19th century. Barely alive, Glass journeys through the wildness in the quest to find the “friends” who betrayed him.

I found the first 60 minutes or so of this film very gripping. It had a lot of potential and I was hooked as the fur-trapping expedition were attacked by Native Americans and a bloody, intense fight broke out on screen. I could see why this film had so much attention directed at it. And when DiCaprio battled it out on screen with a very realistic looking CGI bear, I had pretty much decided this was going to be a great film. But then things began to go downhill; the fur-trapping group tried to carry Glass for the rest of the trip but finally decided to abandon him after being convinced by a very conniving John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Glass was left on his own to fight for his life and here the movie begins to slow down to a snail-like pace.

DiCaprio is of course fantastic; he manages to portray Glass brilliantly and shows the true determination of his character. The film however, is not very dialogue driven and the majority of the film involves DiCaprio huffing, puffing and heavily breathing. He has a handful of lines and when he does speak, its only ever delivered in a hoarse, croaky voice that is barely audible. The person who gave this film life however was the ever brilliant, Tom Hardy. Hardy grips the audience and adds darkness to this already intense film. He kept me interested and managed to capture the evilness of his character, whilst still being believable. He was definitely my favourite out of the two characters.

The Revenant also includes Domhnall Gleeson (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Harry Potter) and Will Poulter (The Maze Runners, We’re The Millers), joining Hardy as the fur-trappers.

This is essentially a film about one man’s battle with nature and here we see DiCaprio gutting a horse and climbing inside to keep warm, catching fish to eat, and scrapping marrow out of a bone. It is DiCaprio’s most challenging role yet and here we see the actor push himself to the limits in a bid to finally win that Oscar.

Maybe my expectations were set too high but after the fast paced battle scenes at the beginning of this film, the film took a whole new turn and the 156 minutes running time dragged out. The Revenant is worth a watch as it is the film that finally won Leo his Oscar but don’t be surprised if it isn’t what you expected.

As for me, I’ll take The Wolf of Wall Street over The Revenant any day of the week.

Overall Rating: 3/5

The Hateful Eight (2015) Review

Film writer and director, Quentin Tarantino never fails to create something extraordinary. He is always pushing boundaries and manages to go to places other filmmakers wouldn’t dare to go. I have always been a fan of his work and some of my favourite movies are Tarantino films (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs) and so I had very high hopes for The Hateful Eight, especially after Tarantino’s last movie, Django Unchained, blew me away. The Hateful Eight was never going to be as good as Django but that’s not to say it wasn’t a much beloved Tarantino film.

The Hateful Eight has everything a Tarantino film should have – glorified violence, lengthy dialogue, shocking twists, and Samuel L Jackson. It’s artsy and well thought out, and includes everything you would expect from a Tarantino film. Its stunning and has beautiful visuals, there’s plenty to see and absorb, and the movie has a way of gripping its audience and holding on until the very end. And this film was shot with a 70mm lens to give it the perfect Western atmosphere and making every scene much more intense.

This Western themed whodunnit movie runs at three hours long but for me, it flew by. The movie is broken up in to chapters and this helped break up the movie and constantly kept the storyline moving. Before I knew it, the three hours were up and the credits were rolling whilst I sat in awe absorbing what I had just seen.

Bounty Hunter, John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his prisoner, Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), are travelling to Red Rock in a snow storm when they decide to find shelter for the night. After making acquaintances with another bounty hunter, Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson) and the claimed sheriff of Red Rock, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) during their travels, they lead their carriage to Minnie’s (Dana Gourrier) stagecoach lodge where several other people are sheltering for the night. And here things start to get interesting, although I won’t go in to detail as I hate posting spoilers.

Tarantino manages to capture each scene beautifully and adds humour to an otherwise intense movie. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and even a short appearance from Channing Tatum.

The Hateful Eight is Tarantino’s eighth feature film and it does not disappoint. It includes all of Tarantino’s trademarks but it still appears fresh and exciting for the audience. If you’re a fan of Tarantino’s other work than I suggest you watch this ASAP.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) Review

Its been 10 years since our last Star Wars movie and I, like many others, had hard-to-reach expectations for The Force Awakens. It did not disappoint however and, dare I say it, this might possibly be the best Star Wars movie yet. The original trilogy will always be the most iconic, creating a world beyond our imagination but The Force Awakens managed to create outstanding visible effects, something the older movies simply could not do due to the lack of technology available at the time.

Its not just the visible effects that make The Force Awakens so great however but the storyline and characters are also strong, and of course we are reunited with our most beloved characters from the original trilogy; Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), to name a few. With the original cast joining the Force Awakens, this is every nerd’s wet dream. And we are also introduced to some new and exciting characters; Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and the guy everyone loves to hate – Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The actors have great chemistry and that is clear to see on screen. Ridley and Boyega make a great double team and unlike other Star Wars movies, the acting comes across much more natural and less wooden (sorry, Hayden Christensen).

The star of the show however has to be BB-8, the cutest droid ever imaginable. After losing his way, BB-8 soon becomes the trusty sidekick to Rey and Finn. Move over R2-D2, there’s a new droid in town.

So, what is The Force Awakens about? Well, we have fast forwarded three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire in The Return of the Jedi and now The First Order are attempting to rule the galaxy.

I have never been a die hard Star Wars fan – when the originals came out, I wasn’t even born and when the prequels were introduced to us in the late 90s, I was more interested in Barbie’s rather than Jedi’s and lightsabers. Sci-fi has never really been a genre I have had any interest in and to me, Star Wars was always very boyish. Having recently given all six movies a rewatch however (yes, even the dreaded The Empire Strikes Back), I could see the appeal but they were still not my all time favourite movies. The Force Awakens changed my whole perception on the Star Wars movies however. The movie contained lots of references for the loyal fans (lightsaber battles, The Force, original casts, a bad guy in a cool costume…) whilst also giving us a fresh outlook for the newer fans. There’s something for everyone in The Force Awakens and it manages to deliver and keep us engaged from start to finish.

The Force Awakens does not disappoint the Star Wars fandom. It makes a great addition to a fantastic franchise. J.J Abrams delivered to even the most skeptical fans and has set the bar for the Episode VIII.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015) Review

Katniss Everdeen, Peeta Mellark, Haymitch Abernathy and co are back for the fourth and final time in Mockinjay – Part 2.

The big finale of the franchise and the most action-packed of the lot, right? Well, not exactly. After the slow build up of Part 1, I had higher hopes for Part 2 but it did not live up to my expectations. I found myself losing interest halfway through the film and I thought it was dragged out when they could have cut a lot of it out. Personally I think they could have made Part 1 and Part 2 in to one film but of course, like all big book-turned-blockbuster franchise, they knew they could make a lot of money going for the classic 2 part ending.

Part 1 ended with love interest, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), retrieved by the rebels but he is now brainwashed and despises Katniss (Jennifer Lawrance). After trying to strangle her to death, he is now confined to a room where he is strapped to the bed. Part 2 begins where we left off with Katniss struggling to talk after Peeta’s attack. But the girl on fire has to recover quickly as she still has a battle on her hands with President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in a bid to rebel against the Hunger Games and stop it from taking place ever again.

The emotional parts however felt rushed. I will try to avoid spoilers but there were a possible 2 or 3 big dramatic key points in the film that had no real feeling to them. A lot more could have been done to create a bigger impact for the audience and made us walk away remembering the film afterwards. Mockingjay – Part 2 was highly concentrated on the visuals and whilst some scenes looked fantastic, that took away from the deep, heartfelt moments that could have been.

I also found there wasn’t enough Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) throughout the film. In the book, he is such a big character but I found he didn’t have much screen time in Mockingjay – Part 2. And we can never see too much Liam Hemsworth. Jennifer Lawrance was flawless however and once again gave a wonderful performance of Katniss Everdeen.

Overall, I found Part 2 to be at best mediocre. It wasn’t a bad film but it was neither memorable or exiting either.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Spectre (2015) Review

The name is Bond. James Bond.

He’s a lover of flash cars, hard liquor, and beautiful women – it’s no other than 007 cruising back on to our screens in the long anticipated Spectre.

Daniel Craig returns for the fourth (and rumoured final) time as our cool, stylist, and slightly arrogant James Bond. With a license to kill, it’s not long before buildings are being dramatically blown up and intense fighting scenes are breaking out. This is a fast paced, action packed movie that is full of amazing visual effects from beginning to end.

The film begins with Bond in Mexico City at the Day of the Dead festival, a popular Mexican festival that honors the dead. Bond calmly takes a woman back to a hotel suite but he is soon jumping out a window and sliding himself down to a building where his victim awaits and after firing a few shots at the windows, the building blows up and soon Bond is chasing a baddie through the city which ends in a dramatic fight scene in a helicopter. All in a day’s work for our beloved agent.

In the first five minutes we can see that the cinematography is beautifully thought out and constructed to make it as visibly astonishing as possible. Everything we love about Bond is reinforced in the opening scene; he’s slick, cool, calm, and nothing seems to phase him. And it only gets better from here.

After the fast paced scenes in Mexico City, we soon find ourselves back in London where we find out that MI6’s Double-0 program is under threat due to surveillance agent, C (Andrew Scott). There’s no rest for our Bond however as he zooms off to Rome, Austria, and North Africa, accomplished by Bond Girl, Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux) in a bid to kill assassins, terrorists, and all round bad guys who are all run by  Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz).

The action scenes in Spectre are fantastic, each one had me on the edge of my seat as I watched Bond wind up in a plane chase in Austria, a car chase in Rome, and beating up bad guys at every given opportunity. Spectre is a film full of action scenes that makes it impossible for you to tear your eyes from the screen for even a split second. And Daniel Craig brings in the humour, giving us a lighthearted Bond, whilst still oozing his cool and collected attitude.

With a running time of 148 minutes, Spectre is a long but enjoyable watch. At times I felt like not a lot was happening however and although it was entertaining to watch, I feel like they could have edited the film down without any real effect to the plot.

Good film? Certainly! But it wasn’t on the same level as Skyfall, and Casino Royale will remain my favourite Daniel Craig Bond film. Nevertheless, for all Bond fans out there, you will not be disappointed with this latest addition to the franchise.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Bram Stoker International Film Festival, Whitby

I have recently returned from the ‘Bram Stoker International Film Festival’ in Whitby. The festival, which is now in its sixth year, has quickly grown to be one of the biggest genre festivals in the UK. As Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’ is set in Whitby, it is the perfect location for the festival, which focuses not only around horror films but arts, music, and literature too.

Despite going to a film festival, I didn’t actually manage to watch any films as there was so much to see and do in Whitby. The films included in the festival however were many different unique horror films from independent directors. The festival also held night time entertainment that consisted of Gothic bands, a vampire ball, a vampire dance theatre group, and a cabaret drag queen.

Read on to find out what I got up to in Whitby;

Day 1 – Thursday 22nd October 

Thursday was travel day and as always, we Brits can never rely on public transport. A train that should have got me and my friend to Manchester with plenty of time to spare turned up around 30 minutes late and when we finally did jump on it, it stopped on the tracks for another 30 minutes because of “signal problems”. This meant we missed our connecting train to Middlesbrough, meaning we’d miss all our other trains so instead we had to take the scenic route and go to York – Darlington – Middlesbrough – Whitby and instead of having lots of time to change trains like we initially should have, we had five minutes in between changes and basically had to run for every train in a panic to catch it in time. It was a massive rush to get there but we did make it to Whitby eventually.

Our guesthouse that we stayed at, Bats & Broomsticks, is a Gothic themed hotel which fitted perfectly with our weekend; there was a coffin in the hallway, bats hanging from the bed, and skeletons in the dining room. The guesthouse had lots of little details added to it to give it a really alternative vibe.

We started our first night in Whitby by going to the VNV Nation gig, which was part of the Bram Stoker International Film Festival event. I had never heard of the bands playing and although I didn’t enjoy the support act, Method Cell, as much as I found them quite pretentious, I absolutely adored VNV Nation. The vibe to VNV Nation was amazing; everyone was dancing and cheering along to their rock/indie/dance sound and they managed to engage the audience and put on a fantastic show. We even managed to meet the singer of the band before the show and he was so lovely and actually took the time out his day to speak to us. It was a fantastic first evening to kick-start the festival.

Frontman of VNV Nation

Friday 23rd October – Day 2

After a big breakfast at our guesthouse, we decided to take a nice stroll along the pier and explore the town. Whitby is an absolutely beautiful, picturesque town and so there were lots of opportunities to snap some great shots, something which I love doing.

To begin our day we took a nice, peaceful stroll alongside the harbour before walking down to the pier. I love being by the sea and it was an absolutely stunning sight. After that, we met up with our friends who we met from the night before and visited the Dark Arts Exhibition that was being held at the Pavilion. The exhibition was a showcase of dark and eerie art that was really interesting to look at. There were opportunities to buy any art we were interested in and the artists’ were all on hand to explain their work to us.

Afterwards we went around Whitby and explored the town; Whitby is a truly unique place and is filled with lots of Gothic and alternative shops. Every street seemed to be filled with these rare shops, all which were brimming with beautiful and enchanting clothes. After a long look around the town, we climbed up the many stairs to reach the Abbey on the East Cliff. The walk up there was worth the view as you could overlook the whole of Whitby. The Abbey had a Gothic vibe and it is also the inspiration to Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’.

Whitby Abbey

After the climb back down from the Abbey, we treated ourselves to cake and coffee in a mouthwatering cafe before heading back to our guesthouse to get ready for the evening entertainment.

Once dressed and we’d had a bite to eat, we wandered off to the Pavilion where the bands, Arcade Winter, Salvation, and headline act, Fields of the Nephilim, were putting on a gig for the night. The band which stood out for me the most was Salvation – the music was different but it worked. They define themselves as alternative pop group who have a melody that is really easy to sing and dance along to, uplifting everyone’s spirits for the night. I didn’t however enjoy Fields of the Nephilim, to me they were too dark and grungy, and had no stage presence. They barely spoke and engaged with the audience throughout their set, but I suppose that may have been due to their image.

Salvation

Saturday 24th October – Day 3

We took a trip out of town and visited Robin Hood’s bay, a small yet beautiful town with a picturesque view with many small streets and alleyways to explore. We even managed to get on to the beach and stroll alongside the sea. It was a pretty peaceful day where we took in the fresh air and really admired our surroundings.

Robin’s Hood Bay

Afterwards, we went back to Whitby and visited the museum which is situated on a cliff on top of a beautiful park that overlooks Whitby. We visited the arts section where we saw lots of stunning enchanted pictures which really caught our eye.

In the evening, the ‘Bram Stoker Festival’ was holding probably the best night of the event, a vampire ball. We got to dress up as vampires and the venue was decorated with large Gothic tables all facing the stage. Everyone looked stunning, wearing huge vampire style costumes and splattered in blood. The ball was hosted by Joe Black, a cabaret, musical drag clown who created many laughs throughout the evening.

We manage to catch ‘Dawn of Oblivion’ halfway through their set as they delivered a goth/metal sound to the venue. Next up were ‘Zombina and the Skeletones’ but I found the singer very whiny, out of tune and she appeared to be drunk. They messed up a few songs and at the end of the set she refused to leave and ended up having to be dragged off the stage by the rest of her band. ‘Gothminister’ stole the show however as they brought a very energetic and Gothic atmosphere. They were the heaviest band playing throughout the weekend at the festival but for me they were also the best band playing too and really put on a show for the audience.

Gothminister

Vampires

Sunday 25th October – Day 4

This was by far the funniest day of our holiday as we took a boat ride to the sea in the late morning and our friends from the hotel also joined us and in true pirate fashion, started passing their rum round. We got some beautiful views of the Abbey from the sea and the waves were very peaceful and calming. It was such a lovely sail on the sea and really set us up for the day.

Afterwards, we went to the Dracula Experience which is a small walkthrough that tells the story of Dracula and its connotations to Whitby. At the end a man came running up to us in a mask to scare us however and I still can’t work out whether that was part of the story or someone decided to have a laugh and liven up the experience. It made me scream anyway.

The best part of our holiday however was our trip to ‘Victorian Image’, a unique photography store that allows you to get your pictures taken in Victorian style dresses and the image makes you look like you have been sucked back in time right to the Victorian era. The photographs don’t look like you’ve been playing dress up but instead as if you really are living in the Victorian era. The staff in the store really attended to our needs and pampered us. I found the whole experience hilarious and was laughing all the time but we someone managed to get a decent photo in the end to take home to remember our time in Whitby.

Victorian Image Photography

In the evening, the Bram Stoker Festival had the ‘Scorpius Dance Theatre’ group there putting on a show named ‘A Vampire Tale’. The dance was both sexy, dark, and in parts it was funny and told the story of the king and queen vampire pursuing an innocent human. We understood the story through their elegant and mysterious dancing, and there was a jolly vampire to narrate the story to us and bring humour to the show. The show put the audience in a trance and really captured our attention. It was a beautiful and engaging dance and I absolutely loved the choreograph.

Next up was Joe Black but this time he had a longer set time than the night before to put on a hilarious and gripping show. He sang well known classics such as Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ and Britney Spears ‘ Toxic’, putting his own twist on the songs and creating a whole new meaning to the lyrics. He was definitely my favourite act of the weekend and I would without a doubt go and watch him perform again.

Joe Black

Monday 26th October – Day 5

We’ve had such a good holiday and for me personally, it was my favourite one. We met so many new and friendly people, saw some awesome bands and acts, and explored Whitby from top to bottom but it was now time to come home. The train journey went to plan this time around and five hours later, we’d finally made it home.

Until next time, Whitby! You’ve been fabulous.

Shopping Haul

Autumn is here and there’s a cold breeze in the air which gives me the perfect excuse to shop and buy some warmer clothes for the upcoming winter months. And with this years Autumn stock being especially nice, I simply could not resist splashing out. Carry on reading to see what I bought on my shopping haul this week!

Grey Oversized Check Skirt from New Look – £19.99

It may be getting colder but that doesn’t mean we need to put our skirts away just yet as New Look have a collection of thicker winter skirts to keep us warm this autumn/winter. This check skirt is made from acrylic, polyester, wool, nylon, and viscose which all adds to keeping us warmer in these upcoming months. This grey check skirt is simple yet elegant, and is best worn with a black long sleeve crop top.

Black Aztec Jacquard Fray Hem Skirt from New Look – £19.99

I absolutely adore this skirt! It it not as thick as the grey check skirt but it still warmer than your average skirt. This is a slim fit skirt, however it falls casually and will look very sophisticated for both party or casual wear. This skirt is best worn with a plain black crop top to give it a classic finish.

John Zack Black Long Sleeve Lace Skater Dress from New Look – £35.00

This lace dress adds both elegance and sophistication and is perfect for a night out. This skater dress can be dressed up with accessories and a pair of black heels for a classy look. There is a zip detail at the back which make getting in and out of the dress easier.

I bought this dress for the Bram Stoker festival in Whitby for a gothic look but it is perfect for all formal occasions.

Black Contrast Snakeskin Stretch Belt from New Look – £3.99

This stretch belt is great for accessorizing with dresses and also helps define your waist and will make it appear smaller than it is. This belt is perfect for a casual fit dress such as this Black Print Tunic Dress.

Khaki Raglan Rib Jumper from Select – £10.99

Autumn/winter means one thing – it’s jumper weather. Khaki is all the range at the moment and I instantly fell in love with this gorgeous jumper from Select. This is a rib knit long sleeve jumper which looks great paired with jeggings and boots for a casual look.

Necklace from Primark – £5.00

I am all for staple pieces and this necklace from Primark is sure to draw attention to you. This is a large necklace so it is best worn with something simple and plain, such as a plain black dress.

Smiffys Mini Top Hat from eBay – £4.45

I’m off to watch ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ in February and it is tradition to dress up when watching the show. I really love this cute mini top hat and I think it will be perfect for the show. It will also be great to wear for the Bram Stoker festival I am attending at the end of this month. We all love to dress up, right?

What do you all think of my haul? Let me know in the comments below!

Directions Turquoise Semi Permanent Hair Dye Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With my pink dip dyed hair mostly washed out, I thought it was about time I gave my image another revamp.

I had bought the Directions hair dye in ‘Turquoise’ a while ago but I had never got round to using it – that is until now, at least.

I love Directions semi-permanent hair dye as it is a lovely thick conditioning hair dye that is easy to apply and a little really does go a long way. I found that I was able to use one pot to dip dye my hair on two separate occasions, so when the colour started to fade, I could easily top it up without having to rush out and buy another pot. I also find the colours available are all very vibrant and the colours take well on my hair. Directions hair dye is great if you want a quick vibrant look but you don’t want it to be permanent as the dyes last up to 3 – 4 weeks.

I absolutely adore this turquoise colour, it is a lovely blue colour with green undertones which manage to make an impact without being too bright. I was happy at how well the colour took, even over my faded pink hair.

What do you all think of my new look? Have you ever used Directions hair dye before? What are you thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!

The Sound of Music Review

The von Trapp family have come singing their way to Liverpool this week and I was lucky enough to see the show on Wednesday (16th September).

‘The Sound of Music’ is centered around Maria Rainer, a young woman who desires to become a nun however when Maria returns late to the Abbey, the Mother Abbess and the other nuns decide to send her to a widowed Navel officer’s house to become a governess to his seven children. There Maria is expected to have some time away from the abbey and to consider whether she is truly ready to be a nun and devote her life fully to her religion.

At first Maria is reluctant to go but she soon develops a strong bond for Captain Georg von Trapp and his seven children. Although at first Maria disapproves of the Captain’s strict military upbringing of his children, she soon tears down the layers of the family and teaches the children how to laugh and be children again through music.

As Maria gets closer to the von Trapp family she soon realises she in in love with the Captain but like any love story, it doesn’t come without complications.

In this stage production, a chirpy Danielle Hope plays Maria. She sings every note perfectly and her performance throughout the show was phenomenal. Hope delivers an uplifting atmosphere to the performance and it is hard not to love her character as we see she is full of good intentions and has a big heart.

Even the younger cast members delivered flawless vocals throughout the show however, each holding their own on stage and capturing the audience. Every one of the von Trapp children offered charisma to the show, as well as adding a big of cuteness to the otherwise semi-serious production.

Jan Hartley as the Mother Abbess stole the show however with her powerful voice and managing to sing ‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain’ perfectly. And she managed to hold a note for what seemed an entirety without her voice breaking once. She sang perfectly and with grace, delivering the best vocals of the day.

The set and costumes were beautiful and everything came to life on stage in this production of ‘The Sound of Music’. I found it to be very realistic and above all else, believable. The actors were all very convincing and performed impeccably and not a single note was missed.

The cast put on an excellent show that was enjoyable from beginning to end. I would definitely recommend everyone to go and watch this stage production.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Legend Review

Tom Hardy takes on the role of the Kray twins in ‘Legend’, the true life story of the gangster twins who once ruled London in the 1960’s.

Tom Hardy had a difficult task on his hands as he played not just one but both of the Kray twins, however he managed to do it so effortlessly and there was a clear differentiation between the two characters. We have Reggie, the cool and collected twin, the one who fires the shots and keeps his more outrageous brother in line. And then we have Ronnie, the mentally ill brother who lives for danger and destruction. I loved how there was a clear divide between the two characters and Hardy played them so differently that it was hard to believe the two twins were being played by the same actor. I was particularly fond of Hardy’s take on Ronnie; we could see that he was clearly mentally unstable and yet his lines were delivered flawlessly and I even found myself chuckling at some of the things he said. Despite the Kray twins being possibly the biggest gangsters of the 1960’s, I couldn’t help but like them and be drawn in to their world. We know they are the “bad guys” and yet we are made to see things from their point-of-view and be in awe of their lifestyle, something that potentially could have been very hard to achieve.

The Kray twins likability could have been down to the fact that the story was narrated by Frances Shea (Emily Browning) who is drawn in to their world from a young age and later becomes Reggie’s wife. Her narration of the Kray twins life gives us a biased view of the twins and here we see her fall in love with Reggie and desperately tries to make him go “straight” and give up his gangster lifestyle for a better life with her. However, Ronnie craves his brother’s attention and soon he draws his brother back in to the gangster lifestyle, something that we later see that Reggie actually loves being part of.

The Kray twins lifestyle is clearly very glamorised in this latest retelling of their lives but it has a way of engaging the audience and making us understand their social status in the 1960’s. Everyone seemed to be in awe of the brothers. Reggie was also the owner of many large and exclusive clubs, where we saw him lust for his glamorised lifestyle.

‘Legend’ explores the Kray’s life and shows the audience the brothers at the peak of their game, all the way to the bitter end. It is a movie loaded with violence, glamour, fame, wit, and sarcasm and it will have you locked on to the screen for the duration of the film.

‘Legend’ is a fantastic film and Tom Hardy exceeds in his role, with Emily Browning being a very impressive leading lady, making us understand what is was like to be a part of their glamorous but violent lifestyle. This is an incredible story with phenomenal acting that exceeded my expectations.

Overall Rating: 4/5