Thomas Shelby is back! Our META review of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

The time has finally come: Tommy Shelby is back! After the end of the sixth season of "Peaky Blinders", it was clear that the story of Birmingham's most famous gangster was far from over. With "The Immortal Man", we are now getting the long-awaited feature film, which should bring the Shelby saga to a well-rounded conclusion. But does the grand finale deliver what fans have been hoping for? We'll tell you in our new CinemaCheck META review – and also rank the verdict of the international press.

What's it all about?

The year is 1940 and England is trembling under the bombing raids of the German Luftwaffe, but another danger is brewing in the shadows. The Nazis want to flood the British economy with counterfeit money and cause it to collapse. The mastermind on the British side is Beckett (Tim Roth), who is looking for gangs to distribute the money.

This is where the newly formed Peaky Blinders come into play – albeit under a new leader. Tommy's illegitimate son Duke, played by Barry Keoghan, has taken over the reins. While his father Thomas always had certain principles despite all his sins, Duke is much more nefarious and not at all averse to doing business with his enemies. This moral abyss even calls the afterlife into action: Duke's deceased mother Zelda sends her twin sister Kaulo (Rebecca Ferguson) to Tommy. The deal? If Tommy manages to dissuade his son from the plan, he will finally find the long-awaited peace from his inner demons.

The old vibe is immediately back

You have to hand it to the movie: The typical "Peaky Blinders" feeling is back from the very first second. The makers haven't tried to bend the style for the cinema. Quite the opposite. The bombing raids and the gloomy wartime atmosphere make Birmingham seem even dirtier and more hopeless than before. The décor also ties in seamlessly with the series – from the perfectly fitting suits to the smoky pubs, it really does feel like "coming home" at times. There are also plenty of slow-motion shots and cigarettes being flicked around again.

Cillian Murphy and Barry Keoghan at eye level

Cillian Murphy plays Tommy as convincingly as ever. At times you get the feeling that he hasn't done anything else between the years. His Tommy is exactly what you would expect after the series finale: lonely, introverted and haunted by his past. The movie takes a lot of time to explore his inner life. Although this provides depth, it also means that it comes across as somewhat ponderous at the beginning. According to Jeremy Mathai from Slashfilm, Murphy is also at his absolute best:

"Cillian Murphy has never been better in this role, slipping into the character's skin with a profound weariness and resolve."

The real highlight for us, however, is Barry Keoghan as Duke. He plays Tommy's ambivalent son absolutely fantastically. You can sense in every scene that he desperately wants to step out of his father's huge shadow. In doing so, he goes to great lengths and acts even more unscrupulously than Tommy did in his prime. The meeting between father and son then leads to a scene that will definitely be remembered and is one of the highlights of the film.

In our opinion, however, the way the rest of the cast is handled is rather disappointing. Yes, a few familiar faces from the series appear, but then disappear again relatively quickly. Even more annoying is that some really important characters either don't appear at all or are only mentioned in passing. With the series in mind, this almost feels a little unworthy. Unfortunately, the villain, played by Tim Roth, also comes across as rather lacklustre.

When it gets a little too "spiritual"

One point that is sure to divide fans is the supernatural elements. The series has played with prophecies and curses from time to time, but the movie goes a good step further here. That was a bit too much of a good thing. It simply takes away from the down-to-earth nature of the actual story – even if it does make sense in the context of Tommy's past.

Despite the points of criticism, there are also plenty of moments that really grab you. For example, when the iconic music kicks in and Tommy Shelby rides through the burning streets of Birmingham in slow motion. That's pure goosebumps! According to Hanna Ines Flint from IGN, Thomas Shelby's production is almost godlike:

"'The Immortal Man' certainly has style. We see a muddied Tommy riding through Birmingham's battered streets like he's just come from the Front Line trenches with citizens reaching out to him – a messiah returned to save them."

Conclusion: Did we even need this movie?

In the end, we are left with a mixed feeling. "The Immortal Man" is definitely a worthy end to the era of Thomas Shelby, and you can tell that a lot of heart and soul went into the project. It's fun to immerse yourself in this world once again, and the emotional finale in particular provides the conclusion that many fans were probably hoping for. This opinion is also shared by Damon Wise from Deadline:

"But once he gets into (the) gear, 'The Immortal Man' is an entertaining slice of British pulp that knows exactly what it is – and Murphy knows exactly what he's doing in it."

But to be honest, the whole thing would probably have worked better as an additional mini-season. As it is, the movie feels too drawn out in some places and far too rushed in others – mainly with the supporting characters. It wouldn't necessarily have been needed to keep the series in good memory. But it's still fun. All in all, we would give it a recommendation! You can watch "Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man" on Netflix from March 20, 2026.

Our verdict: Dark, atmospheric and strongly acted – "The Immortal Man" may not be a masterpiece, but it is a worthy conclusion to the gangster saga.