Centurion (2010)

Too much of everything

Thanks for the memories!

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This film is based on the mysterious disappearance of IX Legio Hispana, one of the Roman legions. We know that it remained a long time in Britain but it's disappearance from the records without any mention has elicited several speculations. This is precisely what this film does, creating a story where it takes advantage of the best known hypothesis for this disappearance: the massacre of this legion in combat. Many classicists disagree with this theory and you can find enough specialized literature on the subject by the hand of the most notable historians, but the fact is that the story created for this film is plausible, which helps to create a pleasant sense of historical accuracy, with some understandable yields when dramatic effect or pragmatic issues prevailed. One of the things that caught my attention was the crystalline similarity between the battle represented in the film and the disastrous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, where General Varo lost his life and his legions in the time of Augustus. It was, in fact, a good action sequence, with touches of realism that only sinned by the exaggeration, of fake blood used.The cast was very good. Michael Fassbender was very convincing in the role of a centurion, who survives the carnage and tries to return. Less happy was the idea of making each of the surviving soldiers come from a region of the empire. We have already seen this cliché previously, I believe it was used in the 2004 movie "King Arthur" but I may be wrong (I'm speaking from my fallible memory). Anyway, the idea sounded false. Dominic West, Ulrich Thomsen and Imogen Poots also did a good job but it was the sweeping performance of Olga Kurylenko who dominated the film. She played an extremely cruel and malicious Pictish woman who decided to dedicate her life to avenge herself on the Romans. This barbarian killing machine was an intense enemy and contrasts with the humanity of Poots character, a woman with a past of pain, but kind and of whom we instinctively like.The production vallues and technical issues also seemed very good to me. In contrary to the current trend, the film virtually waived the green screen and filmed on location, which is a plus point. Action sequences and fights are good, realistic enough and only harmed, as I said, by exaggeration in false blood. It reminded me of the movie "300", where I criticized the emphasis on blood. Of course a battle needs blood but we cannot go into exaggerations, by excess or by defect. I really enjoyed the cinematography. She was able to convey the feel of the period as well as the intense cold that was felt. The color tones were excellent and the contrast adequate. The only negative note is the movie soundtrack. It fulfills its role but ends up being forgettable.To summarize, this film is very good and considerably better than other films ("Braveheart", "King Arthur" etc.) in the same style, but that ended up becoming more famous and having greater visibility. Historically realistic, it doesn't depict any historical fact but a theory, under discussion, so don't fully believe in the story the film tells, remember this is not a documentary. Entertaining, is a good movie for those who enjoy history and the Roman period, or simply for those who enjoy a good adventure or action film.

Cheaply made, predictable, bad special effects, painful acting...why does Fassbender make these films (avoid Assassin's Creed as well)? My gf and I started laughing at it got so predictable. Mostly I am not sure why this film needed to get made? - it just brings nothing to the screen. I think pre-dated GoT so it's not mining that vibe. It actually served it's purpose for me as I needed a bad movie on to minimally distract me as I caught up on email.

Centurion is a story that explores the myth and legend of the Ninth Legion who were wiped of the face of the earth without a trace. No one knows what happened to them and this movie gives us one possible scenario.Is it historically accurate? Probably not. Is it a good tale? Definitely. In this case the legend of the Lost Legion is probably more exciting than the truth.The story is shot beautifully and moves at a brisk pace. The main characters are well developed and the actors portraying them, Michael Fassbender, Dominic West and Olga Kurylenko, all do a fantastic job bringing the main characters to life. As does Imogen Poots who plays the potential love interest in the movie's sub-plot.The movie has exciting and gory battle scenes but for the most part is a tale of cat and mouse that will leave you breathless and on the edge of your seat. The story follows a rag tag group of survivors being hunted down and picked off.In short this film is well worth the watch. The story is exciting. the acting is great. It is beautifully shot. It has thrills and action, political intrigue, murder and betrayal. It is just a good, meaty, entertaining and, unfortunately, underrated movie. Highly recommended.

Neill Marshall's Centurion is a brutal, streamlined, balls to the wall story of several lost members of a Roman legion trying to survive the elements, ruthless enemy forces, and each other. It's not so much a sweeping, epic piece like 300, Troy or ones like that, but a more intimate, individualistic take on it. It's like the Bourne Identity of the sword flicks, all tooth and nail survival action as opposed to large scale battle sequences. Michael Fassbender plays , a centurion whose legion is decimated by a rogue group of fierce picts, led by Etienne (Olga Kurylenko in full beast mode). Their commander (Dominic West) can't hold the stragglers together, and soon a group of five or six of them are forced to hurdle through the barren, snowy terrain in hopes of escape from their relentless, pelt wearing pursuers. West is killer good in the few scenes he has, peppering his mannerisms and dialogue with a belligerent glint in his eye. Fassbender makes a stalwart protagonist. The gorgeous Imogen Pootds, a relative newcomer when this was released, is radiant as a forest dwelling loner who takes the gaggle of survivors in and cares for them. Liam Cunningham underplays his ageing soldier role beautifully. The camera work is also to be noted, capturing some stunning fight scenes set atop a snow dusted plateau, and later an abandoned keep. It's a fairly underrated slice of bloody genre fun, with Marshall being no stranger to this sort of breathless escapism, and having helmed the pilot of Game Of Thrones, adding all the right touches to make it well worth our while.