Centurion
Screen Rant ’s Niall Browne ReviewsCenturion
Centurionfollows the papistical army ’s notorious Ninth Legion as it moves forwards from Hadrian ’s wall into Scotland to demolish the Picts , a vehement and barbarous race that chevvy the Romans throughout their time in Britain .
The film opens with a crashing attack on a Roman frontier settlement and the only subsister is Quintus Dias ( play by Michael Fassbender ) , who barely get off , only to pass upon the Ninth Legion as they adjoin into Scotland , led by a mute Pict guidebook named Etain ( Olga Kurylenko ) . Etain betrays the Legion , who are all but destroyed by the trigger-happy attempt . The survivor ( alongside Quintus Dias ) set off in pursuit of the Picts , for carry through their Commander Titus Flavius Virilus ( Dominic West ) . However , their plan is n’t entirely successful and soon they find themselves being hunted by Etain and her stria of ferocious Pict warrior .
Neil Marshall is a director who wish to wear his stirring on his arm - and when watchingCenturionit is gentle to see where his estimation follow from . The Germanic curtain raising ofGladiatoris distinctly a visual inspiration for the flick - as areAliensandApocalypto- so it ’s good to see that Marshall borrows from the best . Now , Centurionisn’t as good as those movie , but Marshall certainly yield it his good pellet .
Marshall first broke onto the cinematic fit a 10 ago withDog Soldiers . He parlayed the achiever of the motion picture into his heavy horror achievement , The Descent- a move which run to his biggest commercial succeeder . The movie maker was chip in a turgid budget and bill of fare blanche for his next feature , Doomsday , a John Carpenter / Mad Maxriff that was slammed by critics and break at the box office . The disappointment ofDoomsday- with its pompous excesses - must have led Marshall to regroup and suppose smaller … which leads us toCenturion .
The first highlight in the film is the casting . Marshall has assembled a splendid casting , led by the great Fassbender . The Irish actor has been on a great run during the last few years , delivering stellar work inInglourious Basterds , HungerandFish Tank . He is clear an actor to keep an eye on , and inCenturionhe birth a stiff and magnetic performance . The Wire ’s Dominic West is also clear relishing his function as the loss leader of the Ninth Legion . flash , potent and nervy , West piss Russell Crowe ’s Maximus inGladiatorseem like a shrinking violet . The rest of the Legion ( include David Morrisey , Liam Cunningham and Noel Clarke ) are also somewhat enough – despite their function being underwritten . Kurylenko delivers a pretty ferine performance , even though her character has no clapper .
Centurionis not for the faint - hearted . It ’s an highly tearing and gory action photographic film in which heads and limbs are removed by slashing brand and every body part that can be skewered , is . In fact , it ’s almosttooviolent : once you ’ve seen five beheading , you ’ve passably much seen them all . However , Marshall knows how to wield action and he does n’t skimp on battle sequence , so if you want a gritty and violent sword and sandal action film , thenCenturionis for you .
The literal stars of the film are cinematographer Sam McCurdy and the Scottish countryside . The sweeping helicopter camera shot showing the white and hilly terrain are just breathless , and if the film reaches a wide audience thenCenturionshould help do for the Scots tourist industry whatLord of the Ringsdid for New Zealand .
The independent flaw of the film is the script . At multiplication the dialogue in the film errs on the side of cliché and many of the characters appear to be developing , which is a ignominy when you ’ve got the sorting of cast that Marshall has gather . The deficiency of growth is also due to the film ’s very abbreviated running play fourth dimension of 97 minutes . There ’s an awful lot going on and it feels that quite a bit of plot and portrayal were leave behind on the cutting room floor .
Written and directed by Neil Marshall, Centurion is a historical war and action film that stars Michael Fassbender, Olga Kurylenko, Noel Clarke, and Dominic West. The film follows the Roman Empire as they deal with a brutal stalemate.
Now it ’s clear that Marshall does n’t intend to win any Academy Awards withCenturion , but most films detailing such events have upwards of three - hour ravel - times . While this is n’t needed forCenturion , an extra 20 minutes to develop secret plan and character would have been nice . The third act romance could also have been sacrificed for a few more minutes with the Legion . The hie pace could be due to budgetary rationality , granted , but it ’s a flaw that be the motion picture one full star by my rating .
It ’s good to see Neil Marshall getting back on cut after the disjointedDoomsday . WithCenturionhe ’s return an honest-to-goodness - fashioned ( if gory ) action at law film with a Roman Catholic twist . If you ’ve enjoyed his previous exploit , then you will enjoy this as well . He ’s a military personnel who hump picture show , and he clearly makes films that he like to watch - and there ’s nothing wrong with that .
Centurionisn’t flawless by any stretch of the resourcefulness , but it is filled with plenty of gory activity and it does n’t make to be anything other than what it is . However , four movies in and it ’s becoming patent that Marshall ’s science is as a director and not a author , so if he want to forefend an M. Night Shyamalan - style fall , it might be honorable for him to take on someone else ’s material – or at the very least , only co - write his next feature .
spell and directed by Neil Marshall , Centurion is a diachronic war and action celluloid that asterisk Michael Fassbender , Olga Kurylenko , Noel Clarke , and Dominic West . The film comply the Roman Empire as they deal with a bestial standstill .
