WARNING: This Article May Contain Spoilers
This is possibly the only superhero film where the hero looks awful for the majority of the film (except for maybe Deadpool but let’s not talk about that face too much), no offence Tom. Like I’ve said before, I don’t need any excuse to watch a Tom Hardy film but look at me, I found an excuse and watched three of them.
The Drop
So, this film actually has a dark plot, and Tom’s character is a good guy just stuck in a bad situation. Well, I say good guy – just wait for the big reveal at the end. The sad part is, and this says more about me than the film I’m sure, I’m more invested in the underlying story about Rocco the dog than anything else. In all honesty, this storyline gradually begins to take precedence over the robbery at the bar and everything starts to become connected. For anyone that is a fan of Tom Hardy’s in general, like myself, will know that he’s a dog lover and this definitely comes across in this film.
Star Trek: Nemesis
I’ll be honest, when you’ve seen enough Tom Hardy films, you’ll know (like I did) that it was him before the lights went up and we are introduced to his character. Also, when the reality of what/who Shin Zon is, is revealed you realise it’s not actually that bad a choice of actor. Unfortunately, and this may be due to how early in his career this film is, Hardy just isn’t as good as you would hope him to be. Someone that’s trying to take down a whole planet should have a much darker persona in my opinion but he just hasn’t quite got it.
Warrior
Important fact about this film, Tom actually did a lot of his own fights which caused him to sustain a few broken bones. For me, this adds to the reality of this film and its gritty tone. This is also the case for his co-star Joel Edgerton but we aren’t here to talk about him. Unfortunately, I feel like Edgerton’s character takes precedence over that of Hardy’s but in my opinion Tom’s character is the more important one. The money he is looking to win from this tournament isn’t for him, not like his brother, it’s for the family of a man he served with in the army. I know maybe both stories are a little cliché nowadays but once you dive more into the character of Tommy it shows that one story is maybe more so than the other. Maybe the reason Brendan’s story is bigger and focused on more than Tommy’s could be to remind the audience quite how alone Tommy is in comparison but that could be me reading too much into it.
TV Moments
Tom Hardy has done his fair share of TV work, starting out by appearing in two episodes of Band of Brothers before going on to play iconic literary characters like Bill Sykes in BBC’s Oliver Twist and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights (I’m not going to pretend that the long hair didn’t make me giggle). However, the main role that will stand out to most people in his TV career will be his role of Alfie Solomon in Peaky Blinders but before this was his own project, created with his father Edward ‘Chips’ Hardy, Taboo – which I’m still waiting longingly for season 2. He’s even done a stint on Cbeebies Bedtime Stories. I’m sure more than just young children were watching.
Honorary Mentions
Tom had a pretty well established acting career before taking on the role of Venom. He had already played well known DC bad guy Bane in Dark Knight Rises. He’s even starred as real-life villains Charles Bronson and Reggie/Ronnie Kray in Bronson and Legend respectively. Tom has also shared the silver screen with big names (not that I’m saying he isn’t one) including Leonardo Di Caprio, in both Inception and The Revenant, and Gary Oldman, in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Child 44.
