Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- stylized
- tragic
- crime film night
- british cinema evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the film a competently made but uneven and somewhat tepid portrayal of the Kray twins, with favorable aggregate reviews tempered by concerns about its pedestrian treatment and limited menace.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Kray twins become infamous public figures while their protection racket and intimidation terrorize London's East End.
Ronald and Reggie operate as inseparable brothers whose shared identity structures both their gang and their personal conflicts.
The story follows the twins' rise as gangsters in postwar and 1960s East End London.
The film's later critical context explicitly addresses its perceived glamorization of the Krays rather than presenting them solely as ordinary thugs.
Films like The Krays, and why
Legend
british gangster biopic focused on criminal power, family loyalty, and the glamorization of violence
Bronson
stylized true-crime drama about notorious british gangsters and their intimate criminal circles
The Long Good Friday
period crime drama examining organized criminal ambition and its corrosive personal consequences
Public Enemies
biographical crime film balancing celebrity, brutality, and conflicted cultural fascination with criminals
Movie Details
- Director
- Peter Medak
- Release Date
- 1990-04-27
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (125)
Cast
- Gary Kemp
- Martin Kemp
- Billie Whitelaw
- Tom Bell
- Susan Fleetwood
- Charlotte Cornwell
- Kate Hardie
- Avis Bunnage
- Alfred Lynch
- Gary Love
Common questions
- What is The Krays about?
- A dark British biographical crime drama portraying the rise, intimacy, and destructive mythology of London's notorious Kray twins.
- What is The Krays like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Krays as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Krays violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Krays as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Krays?
- Critics generally found the film a competently made but uneven and somewhat tepid portrayal of the Kray twins, with favorable aggregate reviews tempered by concerns about its pedestrian treatment and limited menace.
- Which films are like The Krays?
- Films with a similar feel include Legend, Bronson, The Long Good Friday, and Public Enemies.
- How long is The Krays?
- The Krays runs 119 minutes.
