Review: ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ – The Most Underrated Crime Thriller Concludes with a Bang on Netflix

(SeaPRwire) –   Historical dramas face a challenge with their legacy. A story might be set in, for example, New York in 1927, but if the series continues for over two years, it must eventually confront major historical events. This is the reason Downton Abbey concluded permanently after six seasons and three films, before the narrative entered the 1930s. Bridgerton circumvented this issue by completely ignoring geopolitical realities, despite the Napoleonic Wars occurring during its timeframe.

In contrast, there is Peaky Blinders. The long-standing crime thriller from Steven Knight has consistently incorporated the passage of time within its world as a fundamental aspect of its progression. The first season tracked gang leader Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) as he established a criminal empire after coming back from World War I, and by the conclusion of Season 6, the story had advanced to the late 1920s — and it indeed tackled the 1929 stock market collapse.

Now, Tommy Shelby returns for a final chapter: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a full-length film currently available on Netflix. Although the atmosphere is as somber and grey as Birmingham’s industrial fog, this narrative serves as a masterclass in establishing a series’ enduring impact.

The Immortal Man opens with a subject most other programs would fear to depict: a concentration camp in 1939. It portrays Operation Bernhard, an actual Nazi scheme to create and circulate fake British money in an attempt to destabilize the UK’s economy and secure a German triumph. The following scene presents another real historical incident: a German air force bombing that obliterated the Birmingham Small Arms Factory on November 19, 1940.

These two occurrences set the stage for the highly awaited comeback of Tommy Shelby. Aging and isolated, he lives in seclusion, authoring a book while his previously unknown son, Duke (Barry Keoghan), manages the Peaky Blinders. When Duke is presented with a chance to assist the Nazis in smuggling millions of pounds in counterfeit money, it creates a moral conflict that forces his father out of retirement.

Duke Shelby has transformed into the type of individual Tommy feared he might become — and the archetype that “manosphere” memes frequently depict him as. He thrives on authority and boasts about being detached and impartial. If the saying “the lion does not concern himself with the opinions of sheep” were embodied in a person, it would be Duke Shelby.

Tommy, conversely, is overwhelmed with emotion. Tormented by the deaths of numerous relatives — sometimes in a very literal sense — his sole desire is for tranquility, and if rescuing his son is the only path to that, then he is prepared to do it.

However, the film’s standout element is Rebecca Ferguson, who portrays Kaulo Chirklo, the twin sister of Zelda, Tommy’s former lover and Duke’s mother. Employing Romany spiritualist methods, she can communicate with her sister from the afterlife and offer Tommy peace in exchange for his assistance with Duke.

Nevertheless, finding peace after causing chaos across six television seasons is more difficult than it sounds. The story builds to a poignant finale that, after two hours, feels entirely justified and provides the ultimate statement on Tommy Shelby’s principles. While Peaky Blinders is arguably the most iconic crime thriller series of the 2010s, such status is not achieved without some actions that are later regretted.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is now streaming on Netflix.