MOVIE REVIEW ...
CENTURION
Centurion is one of the current brace of ‘sword and sandal’ films owing much to famed film-maker Cecil B. DeMille. Known for his lavish costumed epics and grandiose sweep to their many battle scenes, his movies still hold well today. Embodying their spirit, Centurion places great emphasis on action sequences to replicate their larger than life feel on a fraction of their mega-budgets.
In A.D. 117, the Roman Empire sends one of their soldiers, General Virilus (Dominic West) to crush a rebellion. Virilus wants to conquer a large section of Northern England whose borders are protected by the savage Pict tribe. With the help of Quintus (Michael Fassbender), Virilus tries to outmanoeuvre them. Sadly his skills come to nothing as his opponents kidnap him during an ambush. Trapped behind enemy lines with the rest of his group, it becomes Quintus’ mission to rescue his leader and plot an escape as their deadly adversaries rapidly close in for the kill.
This lean and very mean mix of fiction and historical fact paints a murky picture of who the ‘baddies’ really are. Whilst the Picts are shown to be ruthless in their determination to protect their land, the Roman soldiers are no less coldblooded when attempting to acquire what they feel is their rightful territory. This tension explodes in a brutal way as the Picts’ use their blind hatred to pursue their prey whilst the soldier’s use their survival skills to safely retreat.
Neil Marshall’s direction almost keeps these elements moving at a rapid pace whilst making effective use of the striking Scottish scenery. Adding plenty of mood to the thin story, the wintry landscapes successfully underscore the differences in tactical expertise between the warring parties. This strand would have been even better had the characters not been as one dimensional as presented with the story losing its way in its final third. Marshall deserves kudos however for not shying away from the gritty violence in which his protagonists seemed to thrive. His aim for realism largely met.
Centurion marks a decent entry in the gladiatorial genre despite not being as good as it should have. Nicely shot with some inventive visceral action, it may be something Mr DeMille may recognise with its focus on ancient swordplay.
Movie Review Rating 6 / 10
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
Centurion released in Australia on Thursday 29 July 2010.
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