“Bronson” is a lot like “A Clockwork Orange” but instead delves into the life of real criminal Charles Bronson (named after the actor). It’s violent, disturbing, funny and very entertaining.

Charles Bronson, who is played magnificently here by Tom Hardy (“Dark Knight Rises”, “This Means War”), is often considered the ‘most violent prisoner in Britain’. He went to prison for robbing a post office and since then has been moved from prison to prison and has repeatedly kidnapped people in order to fight as many guards as possible. It’s narrated and presented by Bronson, who does this as if he’s doing a comedy gig; it’s bizarre yet spectacular.

Tom Hardy nails the role here. He looks like Bronson, sounds like Bronson and acts like Bronson. The guy isn’t really that bad but he just loves fighting and nothing seems to make him happier than kidnapping someone just so he can strip, cover himself in oil and begin fighting as many prison guards as he can; he never wins but seems to enjoy the battles like a Viking. The other characters aren’t very exciting and that’s what disappointed me about this film as although I get that this is the story of Bronson, other interesting people would have helped.

“I came into this world as Michael Petersen but I’ll go out with my fighting name: Charles Bronson” is part of the speech given by Bronson near the start of this film and that’s when you realise that Bronson has become something of an icon: he’s a glitch in the British criminal punishment system, he would have died in any other country by now and he’ll never change. If you like (or like me, love) “A Clockwork Orange” then you’ll probably like this too as it’s got an exceptional leading performance, it’s well-filmed and it’s written with a lot of intelligence.