Movie review: ‘Legacy’

Less than five minutes into “Legacy,” a nervous commando says, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this” … and here come the conspiracies, betrayals and torture. But, aspiring for psychological drama rather than action movie, the film takes itself far too seriously.

Idris Elba plays Malcolm Gray, who, if we can believe anything we’re told, is a black-ops assassin who does really, really terrible things. A mission goes wrong (betrayal!), he’s captured and tortured (told you). Later, shattered Gray is holed up in a hotel room, drinking gin and muttering to himself — never a jolly time, a trained killer in that state. Meanwhile, his brother, a senator who made his name preventing a major terrorist attack and also happened to authorize Gray’s wet work, prepares to run for president (conspiracy!).

“Legacy” is exceedingly sullen, creeping of pace, cloaked in shadows and plays peekaboo so relentlessly with what’s real and what’s in Gray’s head that viewers get left behind. As to its dialogue, consider: “Be careful with memories — a conscience will drop you faster than any bullet.”

There’s little understanding of human behavior here — the woman who loves Gray marries his brother when he’s been MIA for a few months; friends from his unit playfully attack him in his sleep, brandishing a knife in the torture victim’s face.

But all this falls under the umbrella of writer-director Thomas Ikimi’s game of What Is Real? Ikimi plays so fast and loose with reality that the dramatic stakes are lost among the hallucinations and anagrammed names. In the end, “Legacy” leaves nothing to hold on to.

“Legacy.” MPAA rating: R for strong brutal violence including some torture and pervasive language. Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes. Playing at the AMC Rolling Hills Estates.