'Gripping' crime thriller has 'Tom Hardy's best on screen performance in years'

A 'gripping' crime thriller is said to have 'Tom Hardy's best on screen performance in years.'

That seems to be a significant claim for an actor who has impressed audiences with roles in film and television. Over the last decade, he has appeared the Kray twins in Legend, along with roles in The Revenant, Dunkirk and more recently with a main role in the series Mob Land.

However, perhaps some believe his part in the lesser well received Venom trilogy may have caused audiences to forget what he is capable of. A title that may have served as a recent reminder was 2024's The Bikeriders.

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Hardy was part of an all-star cast for the film. He appeared opposite the likes of Elvis star Austin Butler and Killing Eve's Jodie Comer. Also featuring were The Walking Dead star's Norman Reedus and Man of Steel's Michael Shannon.

Set in the 1960s, the film's story is told over the course of a decade. It follows a Midwestern motorcycle club which evolves from a gathering place for local outsiders to a sinister gang, threatening the original group's way of life.

Hardy plays the leader of this gang, Butler his young protégé and Comer his wife. While the film is a fictional story, writer and director Jeff Nichols was inspired by the book of the same name by photographer Danny Lyon, which chronicled pictures of an actual bike gang.

A critic writing for Collider, looking back on the film, claims that it is "Tom Hardy's best on screen performance in years." They go on to say: "Not only was it a blessing to see Hardy work with such a rich cast and visionary director again, but he also gave perhaps his most revelatory performance since breaking out with American audiences in Inception. On the surface, Hardy could play the leader of a bike gang in his sleep, as the actor is known for his brutish tough guys."

They weren't the only ones as the film managed a rating of 80% on Rotten Tomatoes with most reviewers praising the central performances of Hardy, Butler and Comer in particular. Thankfully for film lovers in the UK who have yet to see for themselves, they can catch up by streaming the film on Sky Cinema or NOW with a movies pass.

Many fans were in agreement on Hardy's role in the film with one posting online: "Tom Hardy shines and gives a Marlon Brando-esque performance that made me enjoy every scene he was in."

Sharing a similar view, another added: "The Bikeriders is an electrifying journey into the heart of 1960s biker culture! Jeff Nichols masterfully captures the gritty essence of an outlaw motorcycle club's evolution from a band of misfits to a formidable crime syndicate. Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy deliver powerhouse performances, breathing life into complex characters that stay with you long after the credits roll."

Meanwhile someone else said: "Gripping, gritty and raw with stellar performances in a film that only Jeff Nichols could bring to vivid cinematic life."

One person, compared it to one of the classic films by an acclaimed director. Clearly putting it against Goodfellas, they said: "I checked to see if Martin Scorsese directed it; he didn't. Jeff Nichols is certainly a Scorsese admirer. Great Film!"

The Bikeriders is streaming on Sky Cinema and NOW.