Reviews
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
After an incredible six seasons, Netflix bringing Peaky Blinders back for a movie felt like a gamble. After all, the series delivered visceral and thrilling payoffs that rose in tension with each episode, elevating the infamous Tommy Shelby into the TV Hall of Fame alongside legends like Walter White and Tony Soprano. Audiences could therefore be forgiven for expecting the worst with Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man arriving as the final chapter, but with the feeling of a graphic novel brought to life, the film almost reaches the lofty heights of the series.
Written by Steven Knight, who also created the show, and directed by Tom Harper, The Immortal Man takes place in 1940 with the UK providing the final defence in World War II against Hitler. Birmingham is being bombarded almost daily and has been reduced to near rubble by German bombers, leaving an unrecognisable cityscape compared to the series. The Peaky Blinders gang, now led by Tommy Shelby’s son Duke (Barry Keoghan), are no longer following the rules of looking after their own or giving back. Instead they wreak havoc on the community and the streets, stealing munitions and vital medical supplies from the population for their own financial gain.
Duke’s questionable leadership draws him into working for a ruthless new gangster in town, Beckett (Tim Roth), on a treasonous plot that could have severe consequences for the country. With tensions now at breaking point, Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) must decide whether to remain in relative obscurity writing a book or return to Birmingham to save his son and protect his legacy following his sister Ada’s (Sophie Rundle) desperate plea for help.
Narratively, The Immortal Man is both ambitious and fairly straightforward. Bringing together the carefully crafted intricacies of the Peaky Blinders and Nazi Germany within the same script is no easy feat, yet it is handled in a highly entertaining way. That said, unlike the series where unexpected twists and turns were plentiful, much of The Immortal Man feels a little more predictable, including Duke’s coming of age story.
That said, the character arc for Tommy Shelby is handled fantastically well. From his hidden life to his re-emergence in Birmingham, Tommy still cuts that commanding figure even if he appears more broken and weathered than when we last saw him. Much of that is down to the phenomenal acting of Cillian Murphy, who evokes every emotion of Shelby with expert precision. His haunted nature from the post-war trauma he endures each day and the countless deeds that follow him throughout his life are written into every step he takes, but it is Murphy’s brilliance that makes it all so vividly clear.
Keoghan, on the other hand, takes a little time to settle into the role of Duke. His performance in the first half does not command the respect you might expect from a feared gang leader, especially the head of the Peaky Blinders. He comes across as somewhat timid and unsure of himself, which does not entirely align with what you might expect from Duke Shelby as a character. However, as the film progresses Keoghan grows into the role, making the coming of age element far more convincing as he gains confidence and gradually makes the part his own.
As ever with Peaky Blinders, it looks impeccable. 1940s Birmingham in the midst of war appears incredibly bleak and grey, yet capturing that atmosphere so effectively in The Immortal Man is no small task. Cinematographers George Steel and Ben Wilson make it look effortless. The same can be said for the costumes, which are as strong as ever and transport audiences back in time, creating an immersive atmosphere. The practical effects and explosions are also a joy to behold, complementing the action sequences extremely well.
Not everything works quite as well as hoped though, with the film faltering when it attempts to return to its roots. The Romani Gypsy heritage and the mystical tone that accompanies it become a focal point that does not fully land. Rebecca Ferguson, in the role of Kaulo the medium, delivers a solid performance, but tying her into Tommy’s past and positioning her as the catalyst for revenge never really feels necessary given everything that had already occurred.
However, that does not detract from Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man being a worthwhile experience. It would have been worth it simply to give audiences one last chance to see Cillian Murphy take up the reins of Tommy Shelby again, but the film offers far more than that. Packed with nostalgia yet driven by an entertaining premise that keeps viewers engaged, it is well worth getting ahead of the Netflix release to see The Immortal Man on the big screen.