Legend Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Legend" on Blu-ray offers an exceptional viewing experience that stands out for its sharpness and richly colored visuals. Universal's transfer is sharp and lushly detailed, showcasing the film's distinctive flatness and smooth sheen attributed to the digital source. Fine details are striking, with the period attire appearing particularly robust, revealing extremely fine fabric textures— from suit jackets to heavy woven sweaters and finer dresses. Facial details are equally impressive, capturing every pore, stubble, and facial makeup down to the most intimate elements. Colors are bold and well-saturated throughout, providing a natural pop, especially in scenes featuring candy, signs, clothes, and cars. Flesh tones remain natural across various lighting conditions.

The 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode is nearly flawless, delivering a picture that's clear and crisp with astonishing fine detail. The image maintains a nontraditional color scheme for a period piece, which is colorfully vibrant without crossing into oversaturation. Despite this stylistic choice, banding, aliasing, noise, and artifacts are effectively absent. However, there are some deficiencies in the black levels. Occasionally, darker scenes exhibit black level crushing, resulting in some lost details within shadows and affecting the overall texture of certain elements such as brickwork. Notably, the image sustains very light noise but is otherwise free of unwanted blemishes or distortions.

Collectively, these aspects contribute to a near-reference quality presentation. The video clarity successfully brings out the tactile look of fabrics and facial features while managing to deliver a polished yet detailed visual experience, making "Legend" a standout in Blu-ray transfers despite minor black level issues.

The audio presentation of "Legend" on Blu-ray is anchored by an impressive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack, which delivers Carter Burwell's score with remarkable clarity, instrumental definition, and a balanced surround mix. The enveloping width across the front channels, combined with rich back-channel support, creates an immersive listening experience. Club scenes are particularly noteworthy, as the precise detailing of the beats at the low end transports listeners into the vibrant environment. Ambient sounds, punches, crashes, and other action effects are solidly integrated, adding depth to exterior locations and bringing them to realistic life. However, the dialogue occasionally struggles for clarity and prioritization and can sometimes seem muffled.

Despite these minor issues, the track mostly excels in delivering an engaging audio experience. The mix harmoniously incorporates both the traditional score and '60s pop hits, providing an all-encompassing fullness that enlivens the overall presentation. The vocal mix is equally robust, with clear narration centrally focused and dialogue effectively captured despite various accents reflective of the setting. While the track could benefit from a more dynamic use of environmental off-screen effects to enhance the atmospheric experience further, the music and vocal clarity compensate well for this shortcoming. Universal's audio presentation manages to maintain a high standard and brings the movie's soundscape to life effectively.

The Blu-ray extras for "Legend" provide a comprehensive look into the film’s creation and depth. The standout feature is the Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Brian Helgeland, offering detailed explorations of the film's score, structure, and his meticulous research into the characters. Helgeland’s insights extend to various technical details and anecdotes from the shoot, although his delivery could be more engaging. Another notable extra is Creating the Legend, an 11-minute featurette that delves into the casting, performances, production design, and the unique challenges Tom Hardy faced in portraying two characters. For fans seeking an in-depth understanding of the film, these extras deliver valuable content.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: An insightful and detailed commentary by Writer/Director Brian Helgeland.
• Creating the Legend: An overview of the casting, production design, and unique elements in the movie's creation.

"Legend" offers an intriguing dual-performance from Tom Hardy, who embodies the infamous 1960s London gangsters, Reggie, and Ronnie Kray. Both roles are impeccably differentiated through Hardy's masterful execution, which starkly contrasts Reggie's charming, business-savvy demeanor with Ronnie's volatile, psychotic personality. While Hardy successfully elevates his characters to fascinating heights, the film itself is hindered by clichéd mob tropes and shallow narrative development. Although the narrative arcs are unimaginative and the soundtrack repetitive, Hardy’s portrayal manages to sustain audience interest, making for a compelling, albeit flawed, viewing experience.

Visually, "Legend" benefits from a richly detailed aesthetic that captures the period's attire and locations with stunning authenticity. Dick Pope's cinematography furthers this immersion, adding a sense of intimacy and involvement that compensates for the underwhelming story. Emily Browning as Frances Shea also stands out, delivering a nuanced performance that tracks her character's emotional trajectory from naive infatuation to heartbreak. However, the film flounders in harmonizing its multiple storylines and tones, often feeling disjointed and uneven. The stylistic clash between Reggie's calculated ambitions and Ronnie's chaotic violence disrupts the film’s coherence, leading to a lackluster melodramatic impact.

Despite its structural shortcomings, "Legend" is buoyed by its strong performances and visual prowess. The film provides a captivating stage for Hardy to demonstrate his range, inviting audiences into the complex psychodynamics of the Kray twins while enriching the film with period-appropriate visuals. Yet, it fails to transcend its formulaic foundation or generate genuine dramatic tension beyond Hardy’s engaging dual role. Ultimately, "Legend" is a movie best appreciated for its acting rather than its storytelling.

Legend tells the story of Reggie and Ronnie Kray, with Tom Hardy delivering a remarkable dual performance that showcases his versatility and depth. Emily Browning also provides a noteworthy breakthrough performance. Despite these commendable acting efforts, "Legend" falls short in several critical areas. The film's execution lacks the creativity and engagement typically associated with top-tier crime dramas. Audiences may find it challenging to connect with the characters, given that there are only one or two who are genuinely likable. This disconnect detracts significantly from the film's overall impact and leaves viewers yearning for a more fulfilling experience.

Universal’s Blu-ray release of "Legend" stands out predominantly for its technical merits. The video quality is exceptional, presenting crisp, vibrant visuals that enhance Hardy's multifaceted portrayal of the Kray twins. However, the 7.1 audio mix is less impressive, failing to distinguish itself in a meaningful way. Special features are minimal and underwhelming, limited to a featurette and a commentary track that do little to deepen one's understanding or appreciation of the film.

In conclusion, "Legend" offers a passable entertainment experience, buoyed by strong performances and impressive visual quality. However, it struggles to deliver a compelling narrative or memorable characters beyond its superficial appeal. Those interested in exploring the Kray brothers' story might find it worthwhile for an evening's rental, but it lacks the creative spark necessary for a lasting engagement.