Last King of the Cross (2023– ) User Reviews

BEST AUSTRALIAN SERIES SINCE MR INBETWEEN.

[jamesew80 · 8/10 · 26 February 2023]

I started watching with high hopes, yet low expectations. After episode 1, I was pleasantly surprised. I nearly didn't watch the show due to the past few Aussie crime biographies. In my opinion were poorly made and lacked intrigue.

The violence and stories behind it are unexpected for a free to air TV show, yet executed well with me wanting more at the end of each episode.

The quality of actors including " Matt Nable", Callum Mulvey", "Justin Rosniak" and "tim Roth (among others), was a nice surprise, not knowing anything about the show before watching it tonight.

8 stars I feel this could have easily been made into a seasonal tv series, yet I'm looking forward to the final episodes.

This is my first ever review on any show or movie. I think that shows how much of an impact this show has had on me. Having lived some similar experiences throughout my life..

Not really about John, more about everyone else

[antistar7 · 6/10 · 6 April 2023]

Episode 1 starts off very well, going back to John's and Sam's childhood and progresses to show how John managed to buy his first club and house. Great! It is set out to look like this will be a show about how John Ibrahim grew his nightclub empire in the Cross which would be quite exciting to see.

But after about ep2 it is no longer about John - it is about everyone else but him. Cops, Vietnamese drug dealers, feds, bikies, low lifes, royal commission etc. John shows up in each episode but may as well not. The show would be exactly the same without him in it. He is just in it because, well, he is in it. There is so much more on what's happening with Sam for example than there is on John. So really a show about the Cross itself, not so much about its 'King'.

Regardless, it has been an enjoyable watch and so much better than the Underbelly version. Would be keen to see how they close it off.

Old school gangster series

[rdiaz101 · 8/10 · 17 October 2023]

Very well done I didn't know much about the brothers but as a TV show it's well done, if you're a fan of sopranos and raw crime series this one is for you.

Good character development especially with Sam and his battles. I enjoyed it very much, great performance by Tim Roth as well, can't wait for season 2 !

Great characters and performances all around

Also they had it go to many places and not just solely focused on the brothers story line, it's slick, but with a throwback vibe to it.

Also the cross looked pretty accurate I stayed there for a few months in the 2000s brings back some fun memories,

Can't wait for season 2 !

Real grunt

[mdl-06602 · 9/10 · 17 February 2023]

The first two episodes have dropped . This a very good violent and somewhat graphic recreation of Sydney's Kings Cross of the 70' and 80's

An epic gangster show based on true story . The Cross comes up a treat re dressed for the era and its retro colours really pop . They have clearly spent money on this show the special effects are high levers Tim Roth adds real international cred . To the gangster world of Kings Cross at that time -

The lead playing main character John Ibrahim the King of the Cross is excellent, he has real talent . Early days yet in his story but the first two eps have build a character arch that makes him both menacing yet likeable . Certainly far more likeable than most of the other characters, which bodes well

looking forward to next espisodes .

A fun glossy ride

[goerge-91097 · 10/10 · 10 March 2023]

Am halfway through the show now and enjoying myself! The Cross feels like a seedy place where anything can happen and because the show is a fictionalised version of that era they can add in plenty of violence to keep it entertaining. The leads are both great, John played by Lincoln Younes as the successful businessman and Sam played by Claude Jabbour who you think is a stiff older brother but turns into a dangerous loose livewire adding genuine electricity to every one of his scenes. And of course always nice to see someone like Tim Roth onboard adding that extra touch of Hollywood to the whole thing.

Looking forward to more episodes.

Rollercoaster ride

[berkkerwin · 9/10 · 23 March 2023]

First two eps were slow, however the following eps has been a rollercoaster ride keeping me on the edge of my seat. Intriguing plot, complex characters dealing with trauma and their masculinities. I love Sam & John's entanglements. Sam is a scary guy indeed. Tim Roth character is a bit of a larrikin. Not sure if he belonged in Kings Cross or moved to the wrong suburb (or country). Also, I read the book. There was no Vietnamese female gang leader, however I found the character Tien, a stand out. She's very intriguing and hard to tell what she's thinking. And I'm always looking forward to what happens to her and her tribe next. Looking forward to the upcoming eps on how she rises against John Ibrahim.

Good solid series with some...Great actors

[nedfox-974-15680 · 21 March 2023]

Yes it's good, works for where and when it was.

Still feels like it's not quite all there.

As there is no mention of Ibrahims driving days/nights with- George David Freeman (22 January 1935 - 20 March 1990) was a Sydney bookmaker, racing identity and illegal casino operator.

He was linked to the Sydney drug trade during the 1970s and 1980s, was named in several Royal Commissions into organised crime and had links with American crime figures. Freeman served several prison terms for theft between 1951 and 1968 but was never brought to trial for any of his later alleged crimes, receiving only monetary fines for SP bookmaking in the mid-1980s. Freeman survived a murder attempt in 1979, was married twice, published an autobiography and died in 1990 of heart failure related to asthma and pethidine addiction.

Made for the US market?

[nigelm-59102 · 6/10 · 25 February 2023]

A downgrade remake of Underbelly made for the US market. Bland, very bland. Australian strip clubs made to look like boring US ones, with people throwing notes on the stage (lol) and strippers dancing in their underwear (lol again). And casinos in the Cross? (Lol even more). Even the cops in this show look half respectable. Aside from John Ibrahim trying to make some money out of his reputation, this series looks like it's made by people who were all born in the 21st century. And who never visited the Cross in its heyday. A very sad indictment on the state of Australian media today. (Lol) Underbelly did it so much better.

Entertaining insight into Kings Cross and the Ibrahims

[peterbardenetc · 10/10 · 25 March 2023]

Decent cast each playing a personality of a real person in most cases. They look and sound just like the real people.

Cleary some of the details are fabricated or dramatised.

For an Australian based TV series this is world class.

Don't listen to the haters. Watch a couple of episodes, don't treat it like a documentary and you will enjoy it too.

Decent cast each playing a personality of a real person in most cases. They look and sound just like the real people.

Cleary some of the details are fabricated or dramatised.

For an Australian based TV series this is world class.

Don't listen to the haters. Watch a couple of episodes, don't treat it like a documentary and you will enjoy it too.

Watch Underbelly Golden Mile instead

[tishc-77030 · 3/10 · 7 April 2023]

Could have been so much better. The actors doing the best they can with the cringe worthy writing. I also felt like the show was all over the place with the timeline. Not even a decent soundtrack to really put you in that period of time. Loved Tim Roth in this..would have loved to have seen more of his role.

And that nightclub scene where John Ibrahim gives the pep talk to the night club staff is straight out of an episode of Power! This made me lol hard. I ended up watching the Underbelly season - Golden Mile which was interesting even with all the unnecessary rude scenes. This could have been so much better.

Entertaining

[kmhcky06 · 9/10 · 11 March 2023]

I didn't know about watching the show at first I didn't think the show was going to be interesting or good after watching the trailer cause I have never heard of the people the show is supposed to be about or based on But then decided to watch and found the show to be quite enjoyable and entertaining and found myself wanting to watch to find out what happens next just wish paramount had just released all episodes at once instead of once a week every Friday. Overall it's a pretty good show so far something different to watch. I would recommend watching this show and giving it a try even if you think it's not going to be interesting.

Shallow and cliched

[guycullen-29116 · 3/10 · 26 May 2023]

It's not often I'm compelled to write reviews but this is baffling me. I am failing to see what other reviewers have found so appealing in this series.

I don't feel an affinity with any of the characters and to be honest, the two brothers who are central to the narrative get on my nerves. I'm on episode 6 and if either of them got slotted it would be no great loss.

Tim Roth appears to think he can go through his post Tarantino acting career playing the same unconvincing character in every production (see Tin Star and Lie to Me). He seems to think that 'can't be a****d chic' is in some way suave and intriguing but in reality it's just bland and tiresome.

I really couldn't care who ends up running the drug trade, if the bent coppers get caught or if Godzilla wades through Kings Cross and eats the Hell's Angels. They're all one dimensional, badly written, ill thought out caricatures of so many drab and dreary, plastic gangsters from so many straight to DVD, bargain bin flops.

Quite honestly I'm annoyed I've invested the time to reach episode 6. I can only hope and pray that a fleet of alien craft descend to take control of earth's resources and enslave the.... Wait, that's Independence Day. A cliche with watchability.

Anyway, just felt I had to enunciate my complete and utter distain for this facile and uninspired journey into drudgery and despair.

Feel free to retort...

Best Australian Series

[adeleojaimi · 10/10 · 28 February 2023]

Last King of the Cross is Australian tv at its finest. Highly engaging from the first episode. Lincoln Younes and Claude Jabbour put on a spectacular performance. The original underbelly portrayal; the last mile, was in my opinion quite average and underwhelming. I had some hesitations in the lead up to this new and improved series, but it definitely lives up to the hype. The old Kings Cross is brought to life on screen, with the coca-cola signage invoking nostalgia. The first couple of episodes set the scene quite well and the 3rd episode captured my attention making me want more. Can't wait for the next episode and the rest of the series.

Absolutely nailed it

[philblake-54972 · 10/10 · 27 March 2023]

I must admit, it took me a while to watch this as there hasn't been a good Aussie crime series since the Underbelly ones.

Firstly whoever was in charge of making Kings Cross what it really looked and ,sounded like did an incredible job. I should know as I spent nearly every weekend there in the late 80's/early 90's. I recognised so many clubs/ cafes/and yes the spruikers outside the strip clubs. The production managed to get that adult carnival vibe happening.

Now onto the actors. So good to see some regular bad guys, but also some very good young Aussie talent. Tim Roth was the cherry on this brilliant acting cake.

I've still got one episode to watch. But I'll be definitely re-watching it again. Well done to cast and crew. A definite 10/10 from me.

Cultural Melting Pot in Action

[mwprmedia · 9/10 · 10 April 2023]

This Australian TV series has taken the world by storm, and it's not hard to see why. The storyline is incredibly captivating and the characters are so well-developed that you can't help but become emotionally invested in their lives.

One of the standout aspects of the series is the portrayal of ethnic gangsters. It's a topic that's not often explored in mainstream media, but the show does an excellent job of shedding light on the issue while still maintaining a gripping and engaging narrative. The ultimate test of brotherhood that the gangsters face adds an extra layer of depth to the show and makes it all the more intriguing.

Tien and her gang are equally fascinating. Her tough and commanding presence on the screen is hard to ignore, and I found myself wanting to know more about her backstory and how she became the formidable leader that she is. The portrayal of Vietnamese gangsters is a welcome addition to the show and adds an extra layer of diversity to the cast of characters.

Overall, I can't wait to see where the show goes in season 2. I'm eagerly anticipating seeing more of Tien and her gang and how they will fit into the larger narrative. This Australian TV series is definitely one to watch, and I highly recommend giving it a chance.

A masterpiece

[davidtartcenter · 10/10 · 21 July 2023]

Last King of the Cross.

Tremendous, thrilling, visceral entertainment.

A must see.

Melbourne has its own legendary figures of the underworld, like Dennis Allen, the precursor (no pun intended) of David Michod's Animal Kingdom.

Nonetheless, the ground zero of Sydney's swirling sordid cesspool, the Cross, is equally as fascinating.

An Australian classic.

A vortex, an eternal monkey grip, of vice and death combined.

Lincoln Younes is outstanding as John Ibrahim, the conflicted controller of the decadence of King's Cross.

He is aware of the sordid cesspool of permissiveness, inhabiting the eye of the existential storm.

Last King of the Cross is a classic drama.

Trash series and cringy dialogue. Don' bother!

[Kiladee · 1/10 · 8 March 2023]

This had potential, but ultimately failed to deliver on its promises. The storyline was convoluted, and the characters were poorly developed, making it difficult to care about their fates. The acting was subpar, with wooden performances and dialogue that felt stilted and cringy at times.

The pacing of the show was slow, with long periods of dull exposition that failed to engage me into the series. The violence and crime depicted in the series felt gratuitous and sensationalized, lacking any real depth or substance.

Furthermore, the show's attempts to provide social commentary and commentary on Australian culture often fell flat, coming across as ham-fisted and heavy-handed. In the end, It felt like a missed opportunity, with little to recommend it to viewers looking for a compelling crime drama.

It Gets Worse

[anthonymcdonald-52902 · 4/10 · 1 June 2023]

God awful Big Money Thrown TV series from upside down land. Torture. Watching It.

For F sake. Those Abraham Bros get in some scrapes.. (whats the deal with Aussies and criminals, the Ned Kelly malarkey is boring) Based on some Weird Swept Away Hair Fantasy The Cross is all it's billed, Crucifixion now please. We have tart with heart. Tragic hero druggie. And Many Many More Cut Outs From Central Casting. OK some money has been spent but that Main Street is used so often it is criminal. Story is in the whole rotten, stay home with your cable TV. And be entertained. No.

Its done very badly. It's part of a wave of dismissal TV that has to be expected. All that bandwidth has to be filled. With the length of it each episode an hour it's just not going to be watched. You find yourself fast forwarding at any opportunity. I gave up on three episodes, missed nothing, and then only watched half of each of next two. Sorry if you if invest the time in this..... it's rubbish Try and stay up at night doing something else I wouldn't watch this. For the New breed of Australian actors this is the kiss of death.

Don't care about the Brothers

[mrstevenbang · 1/10 · 4 June 2023]

This show tries to make you feel for the two brothers while they go and murder everyone else. It's just irritating and completely annoying. At first in the 1st or 2nd episode you like the brothers, but then later episodes they are portrayed as this "Good" guy but actually they're even worse than the "Viet," gang.

I mean I guess they killed off John's gf or side girl whatever she was but she barely had any screen time and when she did, it was mostly nude scenes. This show tried to push her death as more impactful but it doesn't because most of her scenes are sex scenes. It's like watching a random character die, you don't feel bad for.

Wish they hadn't killed the Viet lady off, could've done so much more with her character but I guess it was the only way since they killed off her whole family just because for stupid reasons.