A young man and a group of elves must save a princess from an
evil creature hellbent on destroying light and bringing darkness. ACTION/FANTASY
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Legend (1985)Directed by Ridley Scott
Written by William Hjortsberg Starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennent, Billy Barty, Cork Hubbert, Annabelle Lanyon, Alice Playten Oscar Nominations - Best Makeup |
Legend may just be the worst fantasy adventure I have ever seen. It has no business being as bad as it is, what with the direction of Ridley Scott and star power like Tom Cruise and Tim Curry behind it. Yet, somehow, Legend is a dull slog through cliched fantasy tropes that never seem to connect. The characters are one-note, bland, and forgettable, and the story makes absolutely no sense. This movie is a chore to get through and never once feels worth the watch. The only thing going through my mind when it was over was how I had just wasted two hours of my life.
Tom Cruise plays Jack, a weird forest guy in love with the princess of whatever world they're supposed to be in. I guess she's princess of the forest. After they inadvertently startle some unicorns, the evil entity Darkness (Tim Curry in, ironically, the only light spot of the movie) captures their power and plans to destroy the world and marry the princess. Jack then goes to the elves for help in stopping him. The entire cast delivers dialogue that clearly never made it past the first draft, particularly Tom Cruise who sticks out like a sore thumb in a role he did not belong in. Even Tim Curry phones it in, but his worst performance is better than most actors' best work. The makeup is incredible, though. I'll give it that. Legend has since achieved cult status, but I can't imagine why. There's nothing holding this film together. No story, no interesting characters, no good performances, not even any memorable scenes. It's a laundry list of every fantasy trope in the book. They even ripped off The Last Unicorn. If I never see this movie again, it will be too soon. |