‘Based on a true story’
Krays: Code of Silence is a 2021 British true-crime thriller about a detective who is determined to bring the gangster twins to justice. Also known as Code of Silence
Directed by Ben Mole (Khorfakkan; Behind the Line: Escape to Dunkirk; We Go in at Dawn). Produced by Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar and Jeet Thakrar.
The Picture Perfect production stars Stephen Moyer (True Blood; Hatton Garden Job), Ronan Summers (Spooks; Jurassic World), Alec Newman (Bright Young Things; The Snowman) and Andrew Tiernan (The Pianist; Prime Suspect).
Plot:
Britain’s most notorious gangsters, The Kray twins have gained legendary infamy for their brutal reign over 1960s London, which continues to fascinate and shock to this day – but who was the man who brought down the infamous gangsters?
The sixties, London: hemlines are up, and so is the crime rate, the highest level on record. As the Beatles rule the airwaves, heading for world domination – The Krays are on the rise too… using their inimitable violent ways to gain power over the city. Extortion, robbery and murder are rife throughout the capital. Everyone knows the criminals responsible, but will anyone risk it all and speak out against them?
One man, Detective Nipper Read, is sent in to tackle the unenviable task… bringing the city back under the rule of law and taking on the country’s most feared mobsters in the process.
As he faces bent coppers, political backstabbing, and terrified witnesses, Nipper becomes increasingly obsessed, putting everything and everyone he knows at risk.
Determined to bring down London’s most feared gangsters, he will push the rules, his moral compass, and his own sense of who he is, to the very edge… to break the Code of Silence.
Our review:
Clearly very constrained by its obviously low budget, Krays: Code of Silence is nevertheless an ambitious attempt to rework Detective Nipper Read’s determination to bring down the Kray twins. Performances are solid -especially Stephen Moyer – and there are some clever cinematic tricks to connect the ongoing investigation with past events such as George Cornell’s murder in the Blind Beggar pub.
Unfortunately, the film suffers from huge lapses in historical accuracy (a shot of a nondescript tower block represents Scotland Yard – what?) and legal details. Having the Krays (well-acted by Ronan Summers) interviewed together (?) in a secret location warehouse by Read and without anyone else present is simply laughable. Yet, the scenes are daftly dramatic as is anything connected with the deadly crime duo.
Krays: Code of Silence is an engagingly enjoyable threadbare effort that will possibly make viewers seek out other Kray films for comparison and factual accounts of the events themselves so in that respect, it works. Give it a shot if you’re in a charitable mood.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
” …Mr Summers manages to show us that the two characters are, indeed, two different characters and I don’t mean just by wearing spectacles and camp ties to show us Ronnie! But the rest of the cast do equally sterling service as well. Stephen Moyer is excellent as Nipper Reed […] So was everything with Krays: Code of Silence all fine and dandy? Not quite, but nothing was really enough to spoil things.” Run Pee
“Its limited setting and fleeting glances of the real-life crime involved serves to keep it firmly rooted in the routine and desk work of policing. While this perhaps keeps things more realistic and indicative of what actually happened, it also negates a more interesting, cinematic style of storytelling, leaving a distinct feeling of having watched an extended edition of The Bill.” UK Film Review
Release:
In the UK, Krays: Code of Silence was released on DVD and Digital by 101 Films on December 27, 2021.
In the US and Canada, the film will be released on Digital and VOD by 101 Films on December 20, 2022.
Trailer:
Cast and characters:
Alec Newman … Wright
Stephen Moyer … Detective Nipper Read
Andrew Tiernan … Peter Brodie
Michael Higgs … Du Rose
Ronan Summers … Ronnie and Reggie Kray
Ian Sharp … Hemingway
Max Wrottesley … Exley
Jamie Kenna … Albert Donoghue
Jennifer Martin … Mrs Payne
Scott Rose-Marsh … George Cornell
Simon DeSilva … Limehouse Willy
Melissa Batchelor … Sylvia McVitie
Sam Newman … Frank
Ella Peel … The Barmaid
J.B. Moore … Ziggy
Robert MacPherson … Lesley Payne
Matthew Connors-Jones … Nipper’s Father
Nicholas Benjamin … Chris Lambrianou
Phil Deguara … Jack McVitie
Julian Gillard … Ronald Bender
Dean Rehman … Trevor
Sam Rhodes … Frosty
Luke Hardwell … Anthony Lambrianou
Rory Kelleher … Young Nipper
Sarah Tully … Milly
Alexander Jett Marsh … Ronnie’s lover
Rory Kelleher … Young Nipper
Technical details:
1 hour 37 minutes
Related:
The Krays (1990) A biopic starring Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp as Ronnie and Martin Kemp as Reggie respectively.
Legend (2015), a biopic starring Tom Hardy as both Ronnie and Reggie.
THE RISE OF THE KRAYS (2015) Reviews and now free to watch online
The Fall of the Krays (2016) A low budget sequel to the earlier 2015 film, again starring Simon Cotton as Ronnie and Kevin Leslie as Reggie.
The Krays: Dead Man Walking (2018) focuses on the break out of Frank ‘The Mad Axeman’ Mitchell from Dartmoor Prison.
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews of new films, our own movie reviews/ratings, and links to other reviews from trustworthy recommended sources - all in one handy web location. Plus, links to legitimately watch 1000s OF MOVIES FREE ONLINE via platforms such as Amazon Prime, Plex, Roku, Tubi and on YouTube. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.
