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“I don't know how much movies should entertain. To me I'm always interested in movies that scar. The thing I love about Jaws is the fact that I've never gone swimming in the ocean again.” --- David Fincher ::::::::::::: MY CRITERIA FOR DISCUSSION ENCOMPASSES THE HORROR GENRE AND BEYOND, SO I USE THE TERM "NIGHTMARE MOVIES". SPOILERS CAN OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT WARNING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Centurion

July 23rd 2010 00:34
Centurion movie poster
AD 117. A splinter group of Roman soldiers meet up with a lone centurion, Quintus (Michael Fassbinder), the sole survivor from a devastating attack on a frontier fort. Together they fight for their lives behind enemy lines after their legion is decimated in a devastating guerrilla attack under General Virilus (Dominic West) who is taken prisoner by the savage Scots Gaelic tribe known as the Picts.

Writer/director Neil Marshall makes a (slight) return to form after the absurd mish-mash of Doomsday (2008). Nowhere near as nightmarish as The Descent (2005), nor as novel as Dog Soldiers (2002), but just as lean and mean as them both, Centurion is a blood and thunder sword and sandal thriller that moves with the ferocity of a hungry wolf and packs the punch of a battering ram. It’s tough as rustic nails with more than enough entertaining gusto to please those who found Gladiator too smooth around the edges.
Centurion Michael Fassbender and Liam Cunningham
Michael Fassbender as Quintus and Liam Cunningham as Brick
Think Southern Comfort (1981) meets Apocalypto (2008), or to be more precise, think the Romans as the cavalry and the Picts as the Apaches; for this is a Western for broadsword lovers. Based on the legend of the Roman Ninth Legion who supposedly disappeared without a trace, and Marshall pulls it off, with a few reservations. A great cast (with one reservastion), fantastic location shooting in the highlands of Scotland, stunning steel-blue cinematography which captures perfectly the intensity of the climate and majesty of the landscape, and excellent art direction and costuming which slams to the hilt period authenticity.
Centurion Dominic West
Dominic West as Virilus
My main gripe is the modern style of acting and the dialogue. Herein lies the Rub with period movies of so long ago. To be truly realistic, if the Picts are given the Celtic tongue with sub-titles, then so the Romans should be talking in Latin, but then we have a completely foreign movie on our hands and unhappy producers and even less interested distributors. The acting style feels very modern, too much so at times, in particular the stilted performance from actor (turned director) Noel Clarke who plays Macros, one of the splinter group, but at least he’s a peripheral character.
Centurion Olga Kurylenko
Olga Kurylenko as Atain
Big props to the excellent Michael Fassbender as Quintus (although his voiceovers sounded distractingly like Paul McGann in Withnail and I), a couple of his fellow soldiers, Morrissey as Bothos and Liam Cunningham as Brick, also Dominic West as the fearless Virilus, Alison Poots as Arianne, the pretty lone witch, Urlich Thomsen as the Pict leader Gorlacon, and last, but not least, the exotic allure of Olga Kurylenko as Etain, the mute and vengeful Pict tracker. Let’s face it though; the cast are all too-good-looking for the period
Centurion Alison Poots
Alison Poots as Arianne
As tense and fast-paced (a cracking 90-minutes) as Centurion is I found the numerous sweeping helicopter shots of the ragged bunch of soldiers trudging and jogging across the ridges and fields a little much (reminded me too much of Peter Jackson’s signature sweeps from LOTR). These kinds of repeated montages (despite the changing landscape) felt like padding. The battle sequences, however, made up for those indulgent moments of geographical gushing. Action and violence has always been Marshall’s strong point. I was expecting more graphic gore, considering the amount of bloodletting in his first two features, and although the movie is considerably more violent than any other sword and sandal movie, there was a sly, but obvious, restraint; more often than not you think you’ve seen more than you have. Still, there were a couple of impressive decapitations, and a few other novel killings including a double-impaling with spear!
Centurion Pict ambush
Fiery ambush!
Centurion Dominic West
Virilus as prisoner of war
Marshall makes great looking movies, there’s no doubt about that, and he knows how to entertain an audience. Centurion is a great popcorn movie, with lashings of salt, and looks great on the big screen, but it also demands the accompaniment of large gourds of ale, which, unfortunately can only be indulged upon once the movie hits the video stores a little later in the year (curious if the 130-minute version will surface then). Hell, see it once on the big screen, and do it again later with over-flowing mug of ale in hand, a throaty camaraderie, and wolf whistles galore for every time Atain makes her dangerously seductive sideways glance.
Centurion Olga Kurylenko
Atain in the throes of savagery
Centurion is Deliverance (1972) sparring with Flesh & Blood (1985), the kind of rollicking, rambunctious, take-no-prisoners assault on the senses only Neil Marshall could make, and I glad it was he who made such a flick, all gripes aside. Olga Kurylenko in blue Pict war-paint and pelts, astride a horse, spear in hand, will linger long in the mind. So pass that leg of wild boar, pour me more dark ale, and hand me my dagger … The night is falling swift and hard, and that savage enemy will pierce in the darkness, we must be ready, our allegiance held high.
Centurion Michael Fassbender
Cold soldier on the run


Here's the trailer:


Centurion Olga Kurylenko

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews
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5 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by David O'Connell

July 23rd 2010 05:44


Screen Fanatic
I'm a big fan of Fassbender Bryn, and watching Kurylenko is no chore but after Doomsday I was really hoping Marshall would do an about face and return to the element of his first 2 great films. And anyway I just can't take these costume dramas seriously at all, there've just been so many laughable ones in the last decade or so.

Comment by Bryn

July 24th 2010 04:05


Horrorphile
David, I agree with you ... So I went in with lower expectations, and didn't take the movie tooooo seriously. It's definitely worth watching, I rate it similar to Predators; solid, entertaining, albeit predictable action flick. Still, as I mentioned in my review, Centurion lacks the minimalist punch of his first two movies, so let's hope he returns there soon (and turn into a Raimi).

Comment by JohnDoe

July 24th 2010 19:06


Film & TV on DVD
Sounds like fun Bryn!

The trailer is cool for sure.

I love Marshall's work as you know, still haven't seen Doomsday, but this will definitely be worthy of the bigscreen...would be a great double bill with "Valhalla Rising"

Comment by Matt Shea

August 11th 2010 03:59


20/20 Filmsight
Missed this when you originally posted it, Bryn. Great stuff. I'm keen to check this out, despite my reservations - it seems Marshall's best days are behind him. Fassbinder is a great choice for a lead, though, and Cunningham's fantastic also. Will be taking a look this week sometime, if only because you described it as a cross between Southern Comfort and Apocalypto - hell yeah.

Comment by Bryn

August 11th 2010 04:25


Horrorphile
Matt, I enjoyed this similarly to Predators. No nonsense, slick, visceral action with strong performances (for the most part) and a solid visual style. No real surprises, but solidly entertaining. And of course, Olga.

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