Park City, UT — Hard hitting director Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest feature Bronson gives viewers an artistically dark bio pic based on the actual life of the most violent and famous prisoner in Britain.

Growing up Michael Peterson was always getting into fights – fights with his schoolmates, fights with his teachers, and when the police came to arrest him for stealing £26.18, he fought with them too. Initially sentenced to seven years, it was just the start of a 34 year prison “career” which still continues to this day.

Continually fighting with guards, Peterson is moved to multiple prisons – describing each new cell as a sort of hotel room. It’s not long before Peterson’s aggression turns him into somewhat of a celebrity, but because they don’t know what to do with him, he’s eventually sent to an insane asylum. Drugged up and docile, Peterson is easily controlled. But he quickly becomes bored of the environment and in order to get back into a proper prison, he attacks an inmate. The result? He’s deemed “sane” and released into public just to get him out of their hair.

Peterson was determined to make a name for himself after being released. Joining up with an associate from prison, Peterson began a new career as a bare-knuckle boxer. Peterson changes his name to Charles Bronson because it sounds tough, and he even starts a relationship with a girl he met through his uncle. It took only 68 days for Bronson to get arrested again, but this time for robbing a jewelry store for an engagement ring.

Back in prison, Bronson is up to the same old tricks. This time he captures a guard and forces him to rub Vaseline all over Bronson’s naked body – making him hard to get a hold of when he fights with incoming guards. In prison the one thing that started to get through to Bronson was an art teacher who encouraged him to explore his artistic side. Bronson spends a lot of time developing his talent, but his unpredictable behavior eventually takes over again when he takes the art teacher hostage and terrorizes him.

With his previous films (The Pusher Trilogy and Fear X) Nicolas Winding Refn has built a reputation as a director that “pulls no punches.” That is certain true in Bronson as well. But although the film has a lot of violence, it is just a part of the well-crafted feature that shocks as much as it delights. A rich color palette, nicely composed shots and some interesting camera moves makes the film visually exciting and the violence is handled very artfully – sometimes being shown in slow motion on top of a soothing operatic music bed. Tom Hardy’s performance is fantastic, inviting viewers in to the complexities of Bronson’s character – sometimes you think he’s a monster, sometimes you think he’s a comedian – leaving the audience unsure if they should cringe, grimace or laugh. Easily one of the most artistic films at Sundance this year (even, dare we say it, Kubrickian in some ways) we hope to see it get picked up for a US release!

Check out the trailer!

Or get more info at the official site.