Fantasy Flix: The Eagle (2011)

Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Eagle (2011)

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writers: Jeremy Brock (screenplay), Rosemary Sutcliff (novel)

In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila (Tatum) arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca (Bell), Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.

I finally got around to watching The Eagle. If you read my blurb about Centurion, you'll know that I knew the storylines were similar with the whole Roman 9th Legion thing. I have to say, I wish I could jam these two movies together. The Eagle has a more dramatic take, while Centurion has more action. I liked them both in their own way, but I'd say I have to give the edge to Centurion. Not necessarily because it's a better movie, but I just enjoyed it more.

The Eagle's storyline seems a bit more dramatic. I enjoyed the story, although I did find myself being a bit bored at times. The acting is very good, and the characters are pretty believable.

There's a decent amount of action to be had here and it's very well done, but I could have used a bit more. There's no nudity here and really not any female eye candy of any sorts. It's a very testosterone-heavy film.

I did enjoy the comradery between Tatum and Bell. It provided some of the more entertaining parts of the movie. The film looks great and has great cinematography. As I said, I enjoyed the movie, but would recommend Centurion a bit more If you like movies for the same reason as I...entertainment.

Verdict: recommended

The Cast