Bronson

AroView: Belligerent Brit drama inspired by career criminal Michael Petersen – aka, ‘Charles Bronson’ – whose propensity for mayhem, violence, and grievous bodily harm has seen the notorious hard-man spend the majority of his life in a maximum security prison.

A British ‘Chopper’ right down to Tom Hardy’s unhinged performance as the titular maniac, Danish filmmaker Refn’s sycophantic direction – which cribs liberally from the likes of Kubrick and other cinema mavericks – seems apt in the context of Bronson’s obsessive attention-seeking and highly embellished persona, though is prone to mistaking visual flair for psychological insight. Less biopic than alternate reality, this sits comfortably alongside other sensationalised criminal portraits and freak shows of the NATURAL BORN KILLERS ilk.