Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man leaves fans in ‘tears’ as they deliver mixed reviews

Peaky Blinders became a smash hit back in 2013 when it first aired on BBC2, and after 13 years and six seasons, the show has bowed out with a feature-length film on Netflix, titled The Immortal Man.

The Netflix synopsis reads: “Amidst the chaos of WWII, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the future of the family and the country at stake, Tommy must face his own demons, and choose whether to confront his legacy, or burn it to the ground. By order of the Peaky Blinders…”

The film dropped on Netflix on Friday, and fans have been rushing to stream it. It currently has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, however, viewers have been leaving mixed reviews to the franchise’s swansong.

Viewer reaction

With the franchise’s history, several fans were emotional as the film came to an end. “Watched The Immortal Man and let’s just say I’m in a mixture of tears and heartache,” said one, while a second added: “I just finished Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. 13 years Tommy Shelby was a part of my life. Now, I don’t know what to do.”

Others commented: “Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man was damn near perfect bubbas,” while a fourth noted: “Thomas Shelby, at the 46 min, 16 seconds of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man movie, brought back a little excitement I used to get while watching the series.”

However, the praise hasn’t been universal, as one complained: “Finished watching The Immortal Man. I very much enjoyed it but felt there were a few decisions that didn’t sit right with me and some that made Tommy feel out of character. Also didn’t feel like it was a big finale of a 6 season series which I knew would be hard to do in a single film.”

A second penned: “Just watched Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man while great to see the Peaky Blinders back, great cast, superb style liked it but didn’t love it as I thought I would,” and a third shared: “The Immortal Man: this wasn’t quite the ending on a high note I hoped for. Many character inconsistencies and questionable choices. I liked the conclusion, not so much how we got there. Nevertheless, I’m immensely grateful I could experience this story. Still means a lot to me.”

© Netflix

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the critical consensus reads: “Capping off Tommy Shelby’s story with grit and swagger, The Immortal Man is a satisfying conclusion to Peaky Blinders that also stands tall on its own self-contained terms.”

Writing in Esquire, Matt Blake opined: “The Immortal Man doesn’t feel like a fully fledged feature – it’s a bridge, a glorified episode – but it does its job. It reminds us why we loved Tommy in the first place: the mud, the blood, the booze, and, yes, the family stakes that drag a man back into the fight he thought he’d left behind.”

Who stars in The Immortal Man?

The film features fan favourite Tommy Shelby, played by Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy, and from the show he’s joined by Stephen Graham (Adolescence), Sophie Rundle (Gentleman Jack), Ned Dennehy (Harry Potter), Packy Lee (Blue Lights) and Ian Peck (His Dark Materials).

© Netflix

Joining the franchise for the first time are Rebecca Ferguson (Mission Impossible), Tim Roth (Rob Roy), Jay Lycurgo (Titans) and Barry Keoghan (Saltburn).