Legend Reviews

When I first saw this movie,on DVD, I was like wow! This movie is gorgeous to look at, a famous trademark of Ridley Scott. The main flaw in this movie is Tom Cruise. He looked confused throughout the movie, but he was still likable. The other flaw, is that the storyline takes a while to get going. But all this actually managed to pick itself up, and do bear in mind it is theme driven film. I was impressed with Mia Sara. She started off a little uncomfortable, but when she turned evil, she came alive. In fact, the personifications of good and evil were one of the main reasons why I like this movie, other than Tim Curry, who is one of my favourite actors. The performance of Tim Curry is what makes this movie. He was unrecognisable, underneath all the Oscar-nominated makeup, but what a performance, it blew me away, in perhaps the most definitive portrayal of Satan ever on screen, both frightening and sexy at the same time! Even more amazing was that he is only 5'9 or so, and he had to wear stilts, also that he was in his late 30s when he took on this role, and I am glad he did. I felt as though I was in a different world when I saw this movie. The supporting actors David Bennent and Alice Playten offered solid support. I also liked the script, a little inappropriate with the goblins perhaps, but not that bad. The outstanding music score by Jerry Goldsmith is without doubt one of his finest and most underrated works. This was evident in the dress scene, Lilli's song, the final underwater scene and the very end. Magical! I liked the American version, but I much prefer the version I have on DVD, the European version, somehow I like less the score by Tangerine Dream . One definite thing that I liked about the American version was Darkness's "Mother Night" speech, in the European version he is a lot more mysterious. When this is on TV, it always shows the American version, but my personal opinion is that the European version is better (this is the one I have on DVD). If you are a fantasy fan, watch this movie, and either version. It is just beautiful, and definitely under-appreciated! 8/10. Bethany Cox

Poorly received by the critics on first release, I was curious as to what this film would be like in comparison with other Ridley Scott works and other fantasy movies.  It was an interesting choice of project following the complex and thematically dense Blade Runner.  Legend is far more straightforward and clearly aimed at a much younger audience.

Legend was probably the first movie to come into my life where I felt that it truly captured the fantasy element of a sword & sorcery saga that I always wanted to see on film when it came to this genre. The visuals in this movie are amazing, bright & filled with alot of energy (especially for it's time). The designs of the landscape & the characters encapsulate the kind of style that I would have envisioned whenever I read a book featuring elves, trolls, unicorns & whatnot. Even the devilish full body make-up of the primary antagonist, Lord Of Darkness, was spared no expense at the baddassery of his gigantically horned self.
I think that Legend was an aptly titled big step into what these types of movies had the potential to be.



7.5