The sequel to The Rise of the Krays, the story continues following real life London gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray. At the top of their game, the only way is down.
Following on from The Rise of the Krays, the sequel The Fall of the Krays continues the gritty story of the notorious London gangster twins Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
Having made it to the top of the criminal underworld in London, Ronnie and Reggie seem to have it all – money, assets and respect, all earnt from brutality, corruption and rackets. Not enough for the Kray twins, they look to expand their empire in other areas. They must endeavour to keep rising as the thought of looking weak or appear stagnant is not an option in this line of business.
Ronnie, Simon Cotton (The Rise of the Krays), is the more sadistic of the two, beginning the movie with a scene that would not be out of place in a torture movie. Is Reggie a Kray or just Krazy?
Reggie Kray, Kevin Leslie (The Rise of the Krays), is more calculated, planning and conspiring rather than acting on impulse. Like Ronnie, Reggie is still prepared to do what is necessary to achieve his objectives whatever the cost.
By the title of the movie and knowing the background, it is apparent the lifestyle the Krays have created for themselves cannot last. The threat of a “grass”, paranoia and the relentless pursuit from police play a part in their demise. There is also the realisation Ronnie will stop at nothing to get what he wants, often blindly supported by his twin.
Props, clothing and hair are in keeping with the 1960s however it did feel the budget was tight and reminded me of the set on the ITV series Heartbeat!
Sadly, acting was not very convincing preventing full involvement in the story. Moments that were supposed to make you feel uncomfortable, cringe and look away were often laughable due to the pantomime-like over acting.
The conclusion to this biopic seemed very short. Having dedicated a lot of time to dialogue between characters in an attempt to give the film a little depth, the trial was only touched upon. Considering it lasted 39 days at the Old Bailey more coverage was expected. Maybe the budget ran out?
If you like British gangster movies you will probably watch The Fall of the Krays as they are often far and few between, however I feel you may be a little disappointed.
