Legend

Name: Legend
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
Released: April 18, 1986
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 30
Cast: Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Tom Cruise

1986

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 27 Ratings

See All

5.8

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5.8	Your Score
5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 27 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Legend

Now Playing: Legend

Movie Details & Credits

MCA/Universal Home Video | Release Date: April 18, 1986 | Unrated

Starring: Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Tom Cruise

Summary: A young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from both destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.

Director: Ridley Scott

Genre(s): Adventure, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 89 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Ed Gonzalez

What with the film's cotton-candy mise en the scene, rhyming goblins (“Mortal world turned to ice/Here be goblin paradise”), sexless pixies and elementary light/dark metaphors that reference the order of its universe, Legend is a gothic fairy tale brought to life. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Ultimately, LEGEND--a pet project of Scott's that took years to research, shoot, and edit--is done in by the director's ambition. What might have been a pleasantly innocuous children's story becomes an enormous, lumbering FX machine into which the actors, particularly a nervous Tom Cruise, seem to disappear. Read full review

Roger Ebert

Despite all its sound and fury, Legend is a movie I didn't care very much about. All of the special effects in the world, and all of the great makeup, and all of the great Muppet creatures can't save a movie that has no clear idea of its own mission and no joy in its own accomplishment. Read full review

Kevin Thomas

Although awesome in its fantasy splendor, Legend has even less substance than Scott's last film, "Blade Runner." And whereas that detective thriller of the future offered a truly original vision, the look of Legend, as gorgeous as it is, seems a distillation of all the illustrations for all the fairy tales ever read to a child. [18 Apr 1986, p.C4]

Vincent Canby

Mr. Cruise goes through all this nonsense gamely, as if it were an initiation into a fraternity he wants very much to join. Read full review

Keith Phipps

Fascinating in the way only a wrongheaded film by a great filmmaker can be, Legend lends beauty to such imagery, but the story keeps dragging it back to the mystical land of kitsch. Read full review

Tom Shales

Legend may turn out to be legendary, but not in the way the filmmakers intended. As a flight of fancy, it has the balletic grace of the goony bird, crashing on takeoff and spending the next 90 minutes in a fluttering tizzy on the ground. [24 Apr 1986, p.D3]

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

kyle20ellis

Apr 1, 2022

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 getWhen 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… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Kai82

Dec 24, 2021

I liked this movie as child but over the years I came to the conclusion that it was noting special or that great. On the other hand it is not truly bad and was well made. It is in the realm of neither being good or bad. The story follows the Lord of Darkness who wants to cast the world intoI liked this movie as child but over the years I came to the conclusion that it was noting special or that great. On the other hand it is not truly bad and was well made. It is in the realm of neither being good or bad. The story follows the Lord of Darkness who wants to cast the world into eternal night (O.K. that sounds pretty generic if I think about it). For this he has to rely on his henchman as he is banished from light and cant take much action outside the night. A key to this goal are Unicorns and the two humans Jack and princess Lili who get involved into this. These will decide the fate of the realm. O.K I must admit I sounds even more generic here on paper in such a way that I cant or wont argue against it. To be fair the plot is a bit basic and feels short. If this was a D&D adventure it would be over in the third session with the big bad beaten to give perspective. However the visuals are great and they put care into the movie. The characters are fine for me with Tom Cruise as Jack and Mia Sara as princess Lili for the main actors. Tim Curry however is truly remarkable as Lord of darkness. The costumes and make up together with his acting skill impressed me as child and still as adult. Other than those I will praise Alice Playten as Blix and David Bennent as Gump. The cast works well and makes the movie entertaining. I must praise the sets, costumes and make ups. It looks and feels awesome. In this regard I would give at least a 9/10 especially given the time and budget. They succed in creating the atmosphere. The rest is history. It was a failure at the box office and did not mange to gain a loyal fan base. Today it is even rare on TV. Overall I think this is a poster-child for the “Average is worse than bad” statement which some people made. Because it is neither good or bad enough to be remembered it is forgotten. There are far worse movies out there that are remembered or enjoy as “So bad it is good (entertaining)” is a thing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ssgibson

Aug 18, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I only like the U.S. theatrical version but only as a guilty pleasure film. This movie really lacks the quest, adventure and battles it really needs. The director's cut is just boring and doesn't really answer any questions like why are the unicorn horns only magical when they're not attached to the unicorns. The battle against Darkness is good but his defeat is lame. You are gonna expect him to blow up in a giant fireball but he turns into five twinkling shooting stars that shoot to the left side of the screen. His army sucks and they either run or give up really easily. His chefs seemed to be his top soldiers but when the good guys meet them in combat they dominate the whole battle leaving you asking 'why were they hiding from them earlier?' The issue with the fairy keeping the fact she can be bigger than she is pointless and makes her really selfish. But Tim Curry is great as Darkness. The set design is awesome, the visual are great, the costumes are well down but Tom Cruise is lame as Jack. Awesome Walter had his performance as Jack number one in his top five worse Tom Cruise performances and I can see why. This film is also the ultimate 'here we are' movie because every time they quest for something its always right around the corner. I even wrote a short story called Short Adventure I published on kindlebook to make fun of the film. Legend needs a remake because it can fix all the problems the film has. So I guess that tells you I don't agree with Watchmojo calling it underrated and I think Krull is a much better film.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

FelicityFenwick

Jul 25, 2017

Easily one of the goofiest movies I've ever seen, though Mia Sara saves it - or at least she did when I was a kid and saw this. Tom Cruise pick this for some bizarre reason - at least he got it out of his system.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

JLuis_001

Dec 26, 2018

Ridley Scott sometimes he's sublime and sometimes he's mediocre.
Two sides of a coin that in his career is always a random shot.

Here is him being mediocre.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

imthenoob

Oct 12, 2018

The design is awesome and Curry does a great job as Darkness but there is no story here. It's so bare, It doesn't even feel like you're watching a movie. And mainly because barely any dialogue is spoken for long periods of time. This movie is very much a guilty pleasure for those that enjoyThe design is awesome and Curry does a great job as Darkness but there is no story here. It's so bare, It doesn't even feel like you're watching a movie. And mainly because barely any dialogue is spoken for long periods of time. This movie is very much a guilty pleasure for those that enjoy it, It's just not a good movie at all.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

AgentZ

Sep 17, 2019

Beyond weird, excruciatingly boring, atrociously paced, and atrociously acted. I cannot believe this movie actually got made. When I watch-streamed this whole entire movie online for free I felt like I was on an acid trip. Tom Cruise and Mia Sara's acting was atrocious and beyondBeyond weird, excruciatingly boring, atrociously paced, and atrociously acted. I cannot believe this movie actually got made. When I watch-streamed this whole entire movie online for free I felt like I was on an acid trip. Tom Cruise and Mia Sara's acting was atrocious and beyond cringe-worthy (I usually hate the word "cringe", but this is one of those rare times where it's necessary to say). Some of the other actors' (the ones who played Jack's allies) acting was atrocious too and the movie was so boring I fell asleep through parts of the film.

The Shakespeareanlike dialogue was atrocious and extremely cringe-worthy. I cannot believe Tom Cruise read the script and agreed to star in this atrocity. One of the worst, worst acted, and most boring movies I have ever watched in my entire life. Legend is the weirdest movie I have ever seen. I cannot believe Ridley Scott directed this garbage.

Tom Cruise and Mia Sara read their lines at a second grade level. Most of the acting in this movie is even worse than the acting in the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. The only saving grace of this film is Tim Curry as Darkness a.k.a. Satan. Tim Curry is the only (or maybe one of the very few) actor whose acting was solid in this film. The two lead actors' (who played the good ones) acting was so horrendous to the point where I rooted for the Devil to win.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 8 REVIEWS