The Krays
The Krays Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 15, 2026
Movie Overview: The Krays
| Movie | The Krays |
| Release Year | 1990 |
| Director | Peter Medak |
| Genre | Drama / Crime / History |
| Runtime | 115 minutes |
| Language | EN |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is The Krays (1990) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE with a verified audience rating of 6.1/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in The Krays are led by Gary Kemp . The supporting cast, including Martin Kemp and Billie Whitelaw , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
While The Krays does not fully realize its potential, it still contains moments that may appeal to viewers who enjoy Drama films.
- Interesting concept or premise
- Some entertaining scenes
- Supporting cast delivers occasional highlights
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, The Krays has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Drama fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: The Krays
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 1990, The Krays is a Drama, Crime, History film directed by Peter Medak. The narrative explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Gary Kemp.
Ending Explained: The Krays
The Krays Ending Explained: Directed by Peter Medak, The Krays wraps up the main storyline while leaving some interpretation to viewers. The ending highlights the core drama themes developed throughout the film.
The emotional resolution focuses on the transformation of its main characters, particularly in scenes involving Gary Kemp. The interpretation of the ending may vary among viewers.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The story resolves its primary conflict while leaving room for interpretation.
- Character Development: Character motivations become clearer by the final scenes.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the drama themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of The Krays reflect the creative choices of the filmmakers and align with the tone of the narrative.
The Krays Real vs. Reel: Is it Based on a True Story?
Is The Krays Based on a True Story?
The Krays is inspired by documented historical events. As a drama, crime, history film directed by Peter Medak, the production explores how real events can be adapted into a dramatic narrative.
Real Story vs Movie Version
The film takes creative liberties to strengthen its narrative. Certain scenes are likely dramatized to enhance emotional impact.
While inspired by real events, the narrative focuses more on storytelling than strict historical accuracy.
Accuracy Assessment: The Krays uses real-life inspiration as the foundation for a dramatized narrative. Viewers interested in the real history may want to explore historical sources alongside the film.
Who Should Watch The Krays?
Worth Watching If You:
- Enjoy Drama films and don't mind familiar tropes
- Are a fan of Gary Kemp or the director
- Want a character-driven story with emotional moments
Box Office Collection: The Krays
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Worldwide Gross | $9.1M |
| Trade Verdict | FINANCIAL DISAPPOINTMENT |
Top Cast: The Krays
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Where to Watch The Krays Online?
Streaming Hub📺 Stream on
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Sky StoreThe Krays Parents Guide & Age Rating
1990 AdvisoryWondering about The Krays age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of The Krays is 115 minutes (1h 55m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 6.1/10, and global performance metrics, The Krays is classified as a ABOVE AVERAGE. It remains an essential part of the 1990 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Krays worth watching?
The Krays is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 6.1/10 and stands as a ABOVE AVERAGE in our box office analysis.
Where can I find The Krays parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for The Krays identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of The Krays?
The total duration of The Krays is 115 minutes, which is approximately 1h 55m long.
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Critic Reviews for The Krays
Despite the bests efforts of the usually reliable, if hardly versatile, Tom Bell to rescue this pedestrian story of London’s most infamous gangsters, this really doesn’t light any touch papers. Perhaps because neither Martin nor Gary Kemp are much good as actors, nor do either of them exude any sense of menace as this rather tepid biopic trundles along for two hours. “Reggie” (Martin) and gay brother “Ronnie” (Gary) are determined to impress their mother (the underused Billie Whitelaw) with a criminal enterprise that was able to thrive as the city and the country strove to recover from the Second World War. What does work here is the exposure of the sub-culture of criminality that prevailed in what was little better than a lawless East End of London; where protection rackets, prostitution and illicit trading was rampant and where, to some extent, these two men were seen as benevolent influences amongst a community that likened them a little to Robin Hood. Indeed, it’s it’s very clumsy attempts to glamorise the violence with which they ruled the streets that might be it’s redeeming feature. The general population did not recoil from their brutal activities in anything like the fashion we might expect nowadays - but there’s nowhere near enough action of any kind here. Steven Berkoff pops up now and again but somehow his more innate characteristic of odiousness only serves to further show up the lack of that from the pristine Kemps who just looked great in their suits, but little else. Forgettable stuff, sadly.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.











