Legend

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Legend

PG

1985

1h 29m

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Darkness (Tim Curry) seeks to create eternal night by destroying the last of the unicorns. Jack (Tom Cruise) and his friends do everything possible to save the world and Princess Lili (Mia Sara) from the hands of Darkness. Enter a world of unicorns, magic swamps, dwarfs and rainbows.

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Critics Consensus

Not even Ridley Scott's gorgeously realized set pieces can save Legend from its own tawdry tale -- though it may be serviceable for those simply looking for fantasy eye candy.

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Kevin Thomas

Los Angeles Times

03/27/2019

Legend is not without whimsical touches, but it surely could have used more humor and invention.

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Jay Boyar

Orlando Sentinel

03/27/2019

You are caught up in a morality play... the deepest significance of which the makers of this PG movie are apparently betting the adolescents of America will instinctively comprehend.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

03/27/2019

0.5/4

I don't want to remember any more about Legend than to make sure I include it in my ''worst films of 1986'' list and never rent it when it comes out as a video cassette.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 14

Mythology reduced to the level of an MTV extravaganza is about all that "Legend," an over-produced, under-conceived trip to fairyland by Ridley Scott, has to offer.

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Stephen A. Russell

Orion's Shoulder (Substack)

Apr 13

Majestic stuff

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

09/12/2023

3/4

Though Legend may never achieve full-on classic motion picture status, the more fleshed-out director's cut proves that Ridley Scott's lovingly-crafted fairytale always deserved better than it got from both film critics and paying audiences alike.

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Julie F

@RT09349782 Jan 17

I don't understand people that don't like this film. It's a beautiful, true fairytale fantasy.

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Gregory S

@Gregory566 Jan 8

A pretty underrated fantasy movie.

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Monty G

@Montyginger Jan 1

This movie is good, and you should watch the directors cut to get the real magic. But I’m gonna be honest I don’t understand why everyone was like "Tim Curry is amazing in this film" honey no ! Tim Curry did not even one bit amazed me. It was just Tom and the director him self. Because I’m gonna be honest performance wise it’s an average film but story wise and as a whole film it’s so good

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GoreFTW

@GoreFTW Dec 30

This is an absolute banger of a film. The crit reviews are so tainted and jaded, almost like they are crits… like didn’t watch the movie with an open mind and heart, but rather wrote their reviews before watching the movie. Some movies aren’t about the stars, they are about the spirit they invoke. This movie holds up to time and will forever.

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Bronn B

@RT31774873 Dec 27

Beautiful visuals let down by a weak script full of plot holes. It reminded me of Blade Runner, slow and moving from set to set, but without the dialog to tie it together. The actors can only deliver the lines that are written, and only according to the director’s vision, so I think the weakness of the film comes down to the script and director. But Ridley Scott has delivered great and awful movies, and so I think he might be more dependent on the script for guidance. For 80s fantasy movies Willow is cheesier but more entertaining, and Dragonslayer is a much better movie. I think Stardust is probably the best fantasy movie.

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Iyanna B

@RT61851764 Nov 25

It was beautiful, Ethereal and the story was magnificent in it's own. It'll be placed on the same shelf as Never Ending story, Dark Crystal and other magical movies as such. People who don't enjoy it have a lack of imagination but those who do love it well If you know, you know. It's a must see movie 🍿🎥

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Ridley Scott

Director

Tom Cruise

Jack

Mia Sara

Princess Lily

Tim Curry

Darkness

David Bennent

Gump

Alice Playten

Blix

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Why Rotten Tomatoes Is So Wrong About Legend (1985)

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Synopsis

Darkness (Tim Curry) seeks to create eternal night by destroying the last of the unicorns. Jack (Tom Cruise) and his friends do everything possible to save the world and Princess Lili (Mia Sara) from the hands of Darkness. Enter a world of unicorns, magic swamps, dwarfs and rainbows.

Director: Ridley Scott
Producer: Arnon Milchan
Screenwriter: William Hjortsberg
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Embassy International Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 16, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 3, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.3M
Runtime: 1h 29m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby Stereo, Surround
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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