--- title: "Legend" year: 1985 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/legend" fi1m_id: "legend" imdb_id: "tt0089469" tmdb_id: 11976 wikidata_id: "Q509913" fi1m_score: 61 critics_score: 49 critics_reviews: 8 published: "2026-10-04T19:25:22.370225+00:00" updated: "2026-10-04T19:25:22.716210+00:00" region: "PH" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Legend (1985) Directed by Ridley Scott · 1h 34m · Adventure, Fantasy ## Identity Legend - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/legend - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** legend - **IMDb ID:** tt0089469 - **TMDB ID:** 11976 - **Wikidata ID:** Q509913 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089469/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/11976, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q509913 **Fi1m score: 61** · Critics 49 from 8 reviews *In a sentence:* Tim Curry seems to have read a livelier fairy tale than everyone else > Ridley Scott’s fantasy rewards a taste for elaborate imagery, though its characters struggle to hold our attention. Tim Curry supplies welcome mischief in a film chiefly worth considering for committed fairy-tale enthusiasts. ## Synopsis Jack (Tom Cruise), Princess Lili (Mia Sara) and the Lord of “Darkness” (Tim Curry) are the central characters in *Legend*, a fantasy adventure. The cast also includes David Bennent as Honeythorn Gump, Alice Playten as Blix, Annabelle Lanyon as Oona and Robert Picardo as Meg Mucklebones. Ridley Scott directs a screenplay by William Hjortsberg, with cinematography by Alex Thomson, editing by Terry Rawlings and production design by Assheton Gorton. The film runs for 94 minutes and has a PG certificate. ## Review Ridley Scott’s [*Legend*](https://film.one/film/legend-2015) is a fantasy adventure worth considering for its appearance and Tim Curry, provided a thin story is not a deal-breaker. At 94 minutes, it still has stretches in which there seems little to follow beyond the next elaborate image. The director wants us to accept fairy-tale simplicity without embarrassment, and we are happy to meet him there. The trouble is how seldom William Hjortsberg’s screenplay makes its people interesting enough to justify the attention spent on their surroundings. Alex Thomson’s cinematography makes the crowded frames readable, drawing our eyes through the detail rather than losing them in it. Assheton Gorton’s production design rewards that scrutiny, although the decorative excess can become tiring. Everything receives so much visual attention that the actors sometimes struggle to hold ours. There is pleasure in looking closely, even if we occasionally find ourselves inspecting the surroundings because the people have become dull. Tom Cruise, as Jack, and Mia Sara, as Princess Lili, have the harder task of making that world matter to us. Their earnestness is apparent, but William Hjortsberg gives them too little individuality. We felt detached from them because their exchanges seldom suggest two people with much to discover about each other. The film asks for affection before it has given us enough reason to feel it, and the performances cannot quite make up the difference. Tim Curry has a better time as the Lord of “Darkness”, and so do we. He gives the dialogue a relish missing elsewhere, allowing a line to sound as though someone actually wants to say it. The performance has enough wit to make the surrounding solemnity seem even more burdensome. We found ourselves waiting for him to speak again; his enjoyment of the language briefly makes this stiff fairy tale feel playful. Terry Rawlings’s editing keeps presenting images worth looking at, but the scenes do not build much urgency between them. The film can feel oddly slow for its length, particularly when its blunt distinctions between good and evil are being pressed upon us again. Simple storytelling is perfectly reasonable in a fantasy. What becomes wearing is the repetition, which leaves little room for characters to surprise us or for a conversation to develop beyond its immediate purpose. The music is credited to Jerry Goldsmith, Johannes Schmölling, Edgar Froese and Christopher Franke, and it underlines how much of the appeal lies outside the writing. There is more feeling in the musical sweep than in several of the exchanges it supports. Yet the insistence on wonder also becomes wearing, with too many moments demanding the same wide-eyed response. A little more quiet would give the performances room to establish a different pace. We would not improve *Legend* by making it explain every strange thing, or by demanding complicated motives from everyone in a fairy tale. The problem is that its people offer so little company between the striking images. Ridley Scott’s care for appearances is easy to appreciate, and Tim Curry makes a persuasive case for staying with it. Try it if elaborate fantasy design is a pleasure in itself; come expecting engaging heroes and the evening may feel longer than 94 minutes. *Fi1m score 61, published 4 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics find Legend more persuasive as a visual fantasy than as a story, with praise clustering around its imagery, design and costumes. Even the less favourable reviews acknowledge the appeal of its fairy-tale setting, while Tim Curry’s Lord of Darkness receives particular praise for bringing some life to the proceedings. Tangerine Dream’s score also earns approval, though these strengths seldom outweigh complaints about thin characters and a lack of emotional involvement. The disagreement centres on how much those visual pleasures can compensate for the storytelling. Slant Magazine offers the clearest defence, celebrating the film’s transportive style while acknowledging that character development suffers. The less enthusiastic reviews find the imagery insufficient, with reservations ranging from blunt symbolism and kitsch to a shortage of wit and invention. Across the relevant reviews, admiration for the craft is considerably more widespread than enthusiasm for the film. ## Straight answers **Is Legend worth watching?** *Legend* is worth considering for committed fairy-tale enthusiasts who enjoy elaborate imagery and Tim Curry’s mischief; we score it 61 out of 100. We find its richly detailed surroundings more engaging than its heroes, and the thin, repetitive story makes even 94 minutes feel slow. **How long is Legend, and what is it rated?** *Legend* runs 1h 34m. It is an adventure and fantasy film. **Where can I watch Legend in the Philippines?** *Legend* is not on any streaming or rental service in the Philippines at the moment. It is available in 29 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does Legend compare to The Dark Crystal?** *Legend* offers elaborate fantasy imagery and Tim Curry’s wit, but we recommend [*The Dark Crystal*](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal) more readily for the personalities of its handmade creatures. Both adventures sometimes struggle to hold our attention, though *The Dark Crystal* gives us more reason to care about the figures inhabiting its richly imagined surroundings. **What should I watch after Legend?** After *Legend*, try [*The Dark Crystal*](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal) (1982, Fi1m 78): For another elaborate fantasy where the creatures deserve the attention they receive. Then [*Princess Mononoke*](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke) (1997, Fi1m 88): For a forest fantasy whose characters complicate every easy judgement. ### Reviews we read (8) - **Slant Magazine**, Rocco T. Thompson (4/5): Thompson praises the Arrow Video edition as a stellar release that gives fans little reason to want more. He highlights the film’s transportive visual style and Tangerine Dream score, while noting the trade-off of style over character development. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/legend-blu-ray-review-ridley-scott-tom-cruise-arrow/) - **The Guardian**, Mark Kermode (70/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film cartoonish but undeniably entertaining, with its attitude to the Krays’ glamour left deliberately ambiguous. He praises Tom Hardy’s committed, mesmerising dual performance as the twins. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/13/legend-review-tom-hardy-conquers-the-krays-kermode) - **Time Out**, TCh (64/100, inferred): The available metadata does not reveal the critic’s verdict. Its description singles out the Teutonic-myth framing and the Lord of Darkness’s unicorn-killing. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/legend) - **Radio Times**, Joanna Berry (2/5): Berry finds the film a daft fairy tale that director Ridley Scott might prefer to forget. She singles out Tim Curry’s performance as the Lord of Darkness as the film’s best feature. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-hhdup1/legend/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (35/100, inferred): Thomas finds the film visually sumptuous but thin in substance and unlikely to hold most adults’ interest. He praises Tim Curry’s lively performance and Tangerine Dream’s score, while wishing the film had more wit and invention. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-04-18-ca-648-story.html) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (30/100, inferred): Phipps finds the film a visually appealing but intriguing failure, undone by its excess and lack of human depth. He singles out the striking imagery as a strength, while criticizing the story’s blunt symbolism and kitsch. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/legend-ultimate-edition-dvd-1798197622) - **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (30/100, inferred): The review finds the film visually admirable but an unsatisfying viewing experience. It praises the design and costumes, while criticizing dull characters and an emotionally empty story. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/legend-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) - **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The review finds the film a thin gangster saga, largely rescued by Tom Hardy’s performance. It praises Hardy’s strikingly distinct portrayals of the twins, while faulting the film’s schematic characterization and polished style. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/legend-review-tom-hardy-emily-browning-christopher-eccleston-krays/) ## Details - **Director:** Ridley Scott - **Director:** Ridley Scott - **Writer:** William Hjortsberg - **Cinematography:** Alex Thomson - **Editor:** Terry Rawlings - **Music:** Jerry Goldsmith, Johannes Schmölling, Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke - **Production design:** Assheton Gorton - **Producer:** Arnon Milchan - **Cast:** Tom Cruise as Jack; Mia Sara as Princess Lili; Tim Curry as Lord of "Darkness"; David Bennent as Honeythorn Gump; Alice Playten as Blix; Billy Barty as Screwball; Cork Hubbert as Brown Tom; Peter O'Farrell as Pox - **Runtime:** 1h 34m - **First release (Italy):** 26 August 1985 - **Genres:** Adventure, Fantasy - **Budget:** $24 million - **Box office:** $16 million ## Where to watch in the Philippines Not streaming, renting or buying in the Philippines at the last check. Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CZ, DK, EE, FI, GB, GR, HU, IE, IL, IT, LT, NL, NO, NZ, PL, PT, SE, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1987: Best Makeup and Hairstyling (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Dark Crystal* (1982), Fi1m 78: For another elaborate fantasy where the creatures deserve the attention they receive — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal.md) - *La Belle et la Bête* (1946): For fairy-tale imagery with a more persuasive sense of desire - *The Company of Wolves* (1984): For anyone who wants their fairy tales stranger and considerably less reassuring - *Princess Mononoke* (1997), Fi1m 88: For a forest fantasy whose characters complicate every easy judgement — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/princess-mononoke.md) - *Tale of Tales* (2015): For extravagant fairy tales with sharper appetites and less obedient princesses --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/legend