Tom Cruise’s fantasy film legend is one of Ridley Scott’s worst films

Tom Cruise can, on the one hand, count the number of cinematic failures and box office bombs he has suffered in his glorious 40-year Hollywood career. While some expected releases may have underperformed compared to their projections, no Cruise film is considered a bigger commercial black eye than legendthe 1985 fantasy film directed by renowned filmmaker Ridley Scott.

In legendCruise plays Jack in the Green, a pure forest child who protects his love Princess Lili (Mia Sara) from Blix, the Lord of Darkness (Alice Playten). A classic forest fairy tale full of ghosts and goblins, legend was both a box office bomb and a critical misfire. It was also the last time Cruise made a fantasy film and the only time Cruise and Ridley Scott worked together. As legend turns 40 next year, it’s time for a closer look at the infamous hiccup between Ridley Scott and Tom Cruise.

What is the legend about?

Three years after directing arguably the greatest science fiction film of all time, blade runner, Ridley Scott was critically and commercially honored legenda romantic fantasy film with classic fairy tale qualities. Written by William Hjortsberg, legend is about Princess Lili (Sara), a bastion of innocence and purity targeted by Blix, the Lord of Darkness. Blix sends her henchmen Pox (Peter O’Farrell) and Blunder (Kiran Shah) to follow Lili through the forest, where she finds refuge from a country-dwelling romantic named Jack (Cruise).

While Jack tells Lili about the forest and its native creatures, Blix continues her mission to plunge the world into eternal darkness. The Darkness (Tim Curry) physically manifests itself and transforms the forest into a nightmarish land filled with goblins, elves, ogres, fairies, unicorns, witches, will-o’-the-wisps, dwarves and other classic fairytale caricatures. Jack protects Princess Lili while fighting an ancient battle between light and darkness, good and evil.

Although he was critically praised for his beautiful visual performance and outstanding Oscar-nominated makeup, legend received less than positive reviews from critics and moviegoers when it was released in Europe in August 1985 and in North America in April 1986. The biggest criticism of the film was its derivative story, which featured three different endings and didn’t know how to end with a satisfying conclusion.

Legend is considered one of Ridley Scott’s biggest cinematic missteps

After years of honing his craft as a television commercial director, legend was Ridley Scott’s fourth feature film. The revered filmmaker made his feature film debut with The Duelists in 1977 and was followed by two all-time groundbreaking films. In 1979, Scott unleashed Foreigner in the world. In 1982, Scott captured the imagination with his science fiction work Blade Runner. While all signs were pointing upward for Scott’s professional career, the goodwill of his first three films plummeted legendone of the director’s rare critical and commercial failures.

With a low Metascore of 30 and a below-average rating of 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, legend is one of Ridley Scott’s worst-reviewed films of his Hall of Fame careerR. Not only the worst received film of his career at the time, but also legend has since remained a major black eye in Ridley’s 40-year career. Other notable critical errors include: 1492: Conquest of Paradise (47 Metascore), A good year (47 Metascore) and The advisor (48 Metascore).

It is criticized as an unfocused hodgepodge of derivative fairy tales and biblical teachings that came before it. Not even Tom Cruise’s star performance could save it legend. As a result, Cruise and Ridley Scott never worked together again. But with Ridley’s younger brother, the late great Tony Scott, Cruise catapulted himself to a new level of success.

Cruise recovers with Ridley Scott’s brother Tony Scott

Just as Ridley Scott’s career was on an upward trajectory in 1985, so was Tom Cruise’s. Before manufacturing legendCruise starred in two 1983 hits including All the right moves and breakout hit Risky business. Cruise was poised to become the next big movie star, but his fast track to success was interrupted when legend stumbled out of the blocks. Aside from being pressured by critics, legend lost money at the box office, grossing $23.5 million on a $25 million budget (via The Numbers).

Luckily, Cruise followed legend with Top Gun as his next film, a monumental hit that catapulted Cruise’s celebrity into a whole new stratosphere. Since 1986, Cruise has been considered the most consistent action movie star, consistently delivering top-notch entertainment. The irony is that a year after his worst film directed by Ridley Scott, Tom Cruise celebrated his most successful film under the supervision of Ridley’s brother Tony Scott.

Top Gun was so successful that Cruise and Tony Scott teamed up again for the highly entertaining stock car racing film Days of Thunderreleased in 1990. The two worked on it Top Gun 2 when Tony Scott tragically took his own life in 2012. That improved Top Gun: Maverick was dedicated in honor of Tony Scott.

In the meantime, follow legendRidley Scott recovered with Black raina dark crime drama set in Japan. In 1992, Ridley Scott delivered one of his best and most successful films: Thelma and Louise. Since legendNeither Tom Cruise nor Ridley Scott made another fantasy film. Not together and not independent. legend can be streamed on Tubi.