For Peaky Blinders fans, or more so obsessed viewers, because I have yet to come across any fan of the show who doesn’t just laud it, but got completely immersed in it’s universe, this was a nice send-off for their series that lasted six strong seasons. The saga of Thomas Shelby has now drawn to its conclusion and from looks of things, there will be an upcoming series that carries on at least a decade after this film takes place, but with a completely new primary cast and no news yet of any characters from the previous series returning. The Immortal Man was made to wrap up the story of this incarnation of the Shelbys in cinematic form, rather than through an entire season on the small screen. Though much of the main cast already had met their fates during the series run, most still pined for more closure than was given at the conclusion of season six. All things must end however, and all you can hope for is the closure that you desire for a show that really occupied a special place within the minds of its many followers. This film was made as the result of that resounding desire.
The Immortal Man picks up in late 1940, roughly seven years after the events of season six. Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is now a recluse in a rural, rundown house (reminiscent of James Bond’s childhood home in Skyfall), after he voluntarily exiled himself at last season’s end. He is haunted by visions of his deceased daughter and many other indiscretions that are ample, plus still suffering PTSD from his experiences in the first world war, that is prominent throughout the entire series run. He is also writing a book, that is basically his memoir to keep busy, but mostly as a therapeutic to attempt to alleviate his emotional baggage while in solitude. It takes the brash and unscrupulous actions of his estranged son Duke Shelby (Barry Keoghan) plus visits from his sister Ada (Sophie Rundle), who is now the MP for the Birmingham South Constituency that Tommy once was, and a gypsy woman (Rebecca Ferguson), who has a very direct connection to someone from his past, to get him to break from his solitude and return to Birmingham, which is now in the midst of the German Blitz and being bombed with regularity. The main villain in this film and the primary culprit of the proceedings is John Beckett (Tim Roth), who is a Nazi sympathizer that attempts to help end the war in England for the Germans in a manner that does not require heavy arms or any brute force. The characters in this film are all uniquely essential, which is what everyone should want, due to the fact that you’re trying to wrap up an entire series within a two hour timeframe. Roth is very good as a representation of a deceptive evil that is commonplace throughout the show’s entire run. I also liked the casting choice of Barry Keoghan as Duke Shelby. He embodies a very jaded, violent, but also plotting leader that greatly resembles Tommy Shelby during the first season or two. He is now stuck between his own ambition, by helping Beckett, and his own family. Beckett knows all too well of Duke’s resentment toward his father and uses it to manipulate his way into his graces. Tommy must now come back, set his son straight, garner his support and stop Beckett from succeeding on his plot that can destroy everything Tommy ever held dear at home and possibly all of England.
Cillian Murphy does not miss a beat playing Tommy again. He is still a domineering screen presence with his charisma and distant nature that everyone grew to love. The remaining cast are all very sufficient in their parts and as stated earlier, Roth and Keoghan are a pleasure to watch in their own right. Rebecca Ferguson is also good in her role, but is limited as a character due to being introduced so late in the saga and only having her own words to Tommy as exposition. With that in mind, she brings out memories and emotions in Tommy that he has repressed over many years and she stands well on-screen opposite Cillian Murphy. Stephen Graham also reprises his role as Hayden Stagg, who helps Tommy set and execute his plan do derail Beckett. Graham has always been a welcome addition to any film or series, but unfortunately is only introduced in the last act of the film.
It is well known that Steven Knight has been the writer for the series since its inception, and returning from the series are Tom Harper, who directs this film and makes certain the pace doesn’t miss a beat. The film really does feel like an extended episode of series and Harper, with Knight’s script, does the best job possible to make an impactful resolution to the entire journey within a two hour time window. The real strength of the film, next to the on-screen performances, is the camerawork of George Steel, also a veteran of the series, and the production design, led by Grant Montgomery. Often, these two aspects are overlooked or just taken for granted after awhile, but you can tell every frame of this film is shot with great purpose. The lighting is top-notch and the editing is superb. There are a few shots throughout the movie that really take you aback, especially the final moment of the film going into the credits. The score and soundtrack are typical of early Peaky Blinders seasons, which made more sense to me, being that I believe that’s what also helped the series set itself apart on its initial run. This film felt like another chapter of Peaky Blinders and not something completely in a different universe. Adversely, the film does suffer a bit from its runtime. At 1 hour and 52 minutes, it just doesn’t have time to explore a few of the new characters and to really see a well drawn out intellectual back-and-forth confrontation between the protagonists and antagonists as the series would normally allow. There are also a few off-screen events that are prominent to the plot and specifically to Tommy’s current mindset and situation, that are either glazed over quickly or just omitted entirely (one being out of the control of the filmmakers due to casting issues). When I mention closure, it’s not just closure for Tommy Shelby, it’s also closure for other characters that were prominent in the series, who don’t even get a mention in the film. I understand it’s sometimes difficult to keep the absolute attention of viewers with a runtime of anything over two hours, but in this case, an extra half-hour could’ve gone a long way, but I’m only speaking for myself.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is still an essential viewing experience for any fan of the show, as it does wrap-up this part of the saga, but I highly recommend that if you have not seen the series, to hold off on seeing this film until you do so. There is just too much context that is needed to understand why things are where they stand in this film and it cannot be crash-coursed into a person in a short amount of consumption. For long time allies of the show, it’s definitely a must-watch and they’ll get the atmosphere and performances they were hoping for, if the absence of most of the primary cast from the show can be overcome. It really does feel like returning to a childhood neighborhood where everyone you know has either moved on or has passed on. A place that’s just a shell of the greatness it once was. But, that’s how the poem goes all too often and that’s how it went for Thomas Shelby. There’s often a point in life where more things are taken away from you than given, whether through unavoidable circumstances or decisions made. In this case, it’s the decisions and actions Tommy set into motion, due to his horrific experiences from the first war, which manifested into his relentless ambition thereafter. He almost had everything, then eventually lost most it of and walked away from the rest. Does he actually find the peace he has been seeking? You have to decide, just as I or anyone else who has invested the time in the series and the film did. Cheers to a great series and hopefully other exciting chapters to come.