THE EAGLE is the latest in a long line of Roman epics that were given a boost over ten years ago with the release of Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR, a film that I actually thoroughly enjoyed and must throw back into the DVD player sometime very soon. Since then we have had to endure sword and sandal pics like TROY (which was the very first film that I attended as ‘press’), CENTURION, which wasn’t released all that long ago and countless others. Now, here comes Kevin MacDonald’s THE EAGLE based on the 1950s novel The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff.
The film, set in the bad-ass times of 140 A.D, revolves around Channing Tatum’s lead Roman centurion Marcus Aquila, who has come to Britain to defend a fort in the region of the country that has now become Exeter, and to try to restore some of the reputation of his father who disappeared twenty years previous leading a 5000 strong garrison over Hadrian’s Wall to conquer Caledonia. Once Marcus arrives to take command at the fort, he sends a small group out to retrieve food for the masses and then trouble comes his way in the dead of night. A massive battle follows which leads to Marcus being sent to his Uncle’s villa to recover from his severe injuries. It is here where he receives an honourable discharge from the army and meets slave Esra (Jamie Bell). Having been denied the opportunity in his eyes to restore said honour of his father, Marcus and Esra take off towards the unconquered land of Caledonia to retrieve the Roman standard lost in the disappearance of his father’s army twenty years previous, the standar of THE EAGLE.
THE EAGLE is one of those film that I never look forward sitting down and watching, but when I do I actually quite enjoy. GLADIATOR was one of those film as was TROY even. They always tend to be films that go on a bit in terms of length and take half of the film to get going. THE EAGLE is really neither. As I sat down to watch the film in a very cramped cinema in London’s Empire Leicester Square early the other morning, Idid not carry the best of hopes for the film. Luke warm reviews had started to appear online, and while I try not to pay too much attention to other people’s opinions on a film, it’s hard not to be influenced in terms of expectation. I have been a fan of Kevin MacDonald ever since I caught a look at his docu-drama TOUCHING THE VOID all of those years ago, and then his Oscar-winning THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND…
I was intially put off by the use of the American accents in the opening part of the film, most notably by our lead actor Channing Tatum who plays the lead character of Marcus. Indeed the production notes for the film state that the filmmakers purposely used American actors for the Roman parts in the film and European for the Britons etc, with a form of Gaelic used for our friends across the border. The accent thing I got used to after a little while as the acton started to move along, pretty much to the point where we are introduced to Geordie Jamie Bell whose accent is neither disguised or actually indeed that much of a problem either really. If fact, I really like Bell, and have done ever since those BILLY ELLIOT days, and even thought he was pretty good in KING KONG. Channing Tatum on the other hand, a guy that also comes from a dancing in film background (STEP UP), I am not too familiar with. I saw that film FIGHTING, and remember him as Pretty Boy Floyd in PUBLIC ENEMIES, and can appreciate his looks do attract an audience… which is possibly one of the reasons that he was cast Roman Marcus — he’s certain to bring in the ladies to a pretty man heavy, guy targeted film. In fact, his performance is okay, and that sums up my feelings about the movie. It’s okay… and I enjoyed it. Is it going to set the world alight? Well, no. Is it going to win any awards? Well, clearly no. Is it going to do any harm to anyone involved… again no.
Audiences are already very split down the middle in terms of liking and disliking THE EAGLE. I actually enjoyed it for what it was, and in fact it has since made me go back and check out two other Roman movies from the past (SPARTACUS and CALIGULA — a film that now resides in my dustbin after I eventually got to the ‘fisting’ scene — in fact, despite having a review copy lying around the house, I had never seen it until just now. It’s an awful movie and I understand why it has a cult following, but it just repelled me).
Anyway, go and see THE EAGLE this weekend if you want. You will probably have a good night at the movies, and like this weekend’s other release FASTER, which I saw directly after THE EAGLE it will possibly have you talking afterwards. How much is resonates after that? Well that’s the question. Probably not too long is my guess…
Grade: C+
