Director: Neil Marshall
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Olga Kurylenko, Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey and Dominic West
Based on the real life, or perhaps legendary, disappearance of Rome's Ninth Legion in England, 117 AD. In this movie's version of events, the legion is overrun by the local Picts, and the surviving members make a run for it back to the border.
Neil Marshall has effectively carved out a niche for himself as the British Paul W.S. Anderson, churning out highly derivative genre films that crank the "Bro Factor" up to 11 (Or would it be "Mate Factor"?). If you liked Doomsday, this is more of the same. And if you didn't enjoy his previous work, I guess this is your warning.
The one main advantage that Marshall has over Anderson is that he gets to make his movies with a rotating cast of goddamn BRITISH ACTORS, a country that Anderson left behind long ago. Remember that brilliant scene in the middle of Hunger (You have seen Hunger, right? If not, open a tab and put it on your Instant Queue right now.) where Bobby Sands talks with his priest about morality? Now you can see those actors running through Caledonia, hacking the limbs off of the locals! Seriously, the amount of acting talent being wasted here is staggering.
Actually, I really enjoy that actors like Michael Fassbender can jump from an arthouse film like Fish Tank into something like this or Blood Creek. Maybe it gets old taking yourself seriously all the time. Hence, the career of Michael Sheen.
Where was I? Oh yes, the movie. Ultimately, it accomplishes what it sets out to do; a very basic men-on-a-mission set up, with some brutal kills and pretty people. If the premise sounds "cool", it's probably up your ally. I could have used a little more depth, or a bit more exploration of Pict culture, but alas. . .
Hey, Hollywood; Where's my Bran Mak Morn movie?
Frederick Opines: MIDDLING
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