Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

41% Tomatometer 46 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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Legend

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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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Critics Reviews

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Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times Legend is not without whimsical touches, but it surely could have used more humor and invention. Mar 27, 2019 Full Review Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Jay Boyar Orlando Sentinel 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. Mar 27, 2019 Full Review Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Gene Siskel Chicago Tribune 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. Rated: 0.5/4 Mar 27, 2019 Full Review Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Martin Carr CBR Don't let the rotten rating fool you, Legend is a cult classic with more than enough to entertain above and beyond Tim Curry's extreme makeover. This is an arthouse indulgence from Ridley Scott that may feature Tom Cruise, but still manages to impress. Apr 20, 2024 Full Review Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Kathy Fennessy Seattle Film Blog 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. Rated: 3/4 Sep 12, 2023 Full Review Legend | Rotten Tomatoes (6) James Olsen Starburst Legend remains a stunning faerie floss fantasy. Ninety-five minutes of lovingly crafted, 'super real' escapism. Jul 22, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Paul H Most 1980s fantasy movies are terrible, this is shocking it may be the worst of them all, on every level this is a terrible movie, the story, the script, the make up, the acting, the production it's genuinely terribly bad. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/01/24 Full Review Shane C This is one of my favorite movies. Amazing art and practical effects. Love the soundtrack. Tim Curry is wonderful! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/16/24 Full Review Jerod S Tom Cruise is a chain mail skirt wearing devil killer. When the unicorns are dying for their horns, things get serious and he's gotta kill the devil. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Morph I A visual magic story of good vs. evil. All the cast are perfect. You do not have to be a fan of Tom Cruise as he, in this movie, is young, simple and doesn't do a lot of talking. Tim Curry depicts the most iconic Devil of any movie. The score, the simple adventure are amazing. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/17/24 Full Review Jessica J Still one of my absolute favorite fantasy genre movies, despite Tom Cruise. I love everything about it. No one ever has made fantasy this fantastic. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/13/24 Full Review He-Rex Legend is a beautiful, artfully crafted, at times frightening, Good versus Evil, fairytale from director Ridley Scott. Tim Curry is magnificent as the Lord of Darkness, completely unrecognizable in amazing prosthetic makeup. Mia Sara is lovely as the fair princess Lily. Loved by our hero, a forest boy named Jack, played by Tom Cruise, and coveted by the Dark Lord, Lily in her innocence inadvertently helps evil send the world into perpetual darkness. It's up to Jack, and a small band of misfit characters, to save Lily and the world from eternal despair. Often unfairly maligned by critics, Legend is a stunning visual achievement, and a classic in its own right. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/01/24 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Ridley Scott Director Tom Cruise Jack Mia Sara Princess Lily Tim Curry Darkness David Bennent Gump Alice Playten Blix
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Legend

Legend: Official Clip - Lili Betrays Darkness Legend: Official Clip - Lili Betrays Darkness 2:15 Legend: Official Clip - I Want to Kill the Unicorn Legend: Official Clip - I Want to Kill the Unicorn 1:02 Legend: Official Clip - Darkness Seduces Lili Legend: Official Clip - Darkness Seduces Lili 2:02 Legend: Official Clip - Flattering Meg Mucklebones Legend: Official Clip - Flattering Meg Mucklebones 2:12 Legend: Official Clip - Kissing Oona Legend: Official Clip - Kissing Oona 2:09 Legend: Official Clip - Gump's Riddle Legend: Official Clip - Gump's Riddle 2:08 Legend: Official Clip - Jack the Champion Legend: Official Clip - Jack the Champion 2:13 Legend: Official Clip - Diving for Lili's Ring Legend: Official Clip - Diving for Lili's Ring 3:08 Legend: Official Clip - A Mission for Blix Legend: Official Clip - A Mission for Blix 2:07 Legend: Official Clip - Jack Defeats Darkness Legend: Official Clip - Jack Defeats Darkness 2:11 View more videos

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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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