The Eagle (2011)

The disappearance of Ancient Rome's Ninth Legion in the wilds of northern Britain has already been fodder for a couple of decent movies in recent years (The Last Legion in 2007 and Centurion in 2010), so what can Kevin Macdonald's The Eagle bring to the party by way of novelty?

Very little as it happens. Twenty years after the disappearance of the Ninth, centurion Marcus Aquilia (the very bland Channing Tatum) decides to head north, accompanied by British slave Esca (Jamie Bell), to retrieve the eagle of the Ninth and restore the reputation of his father (the commander who led the lost legion).

Unfortunately, due to some dreadful pacing decisions, it takes 45 minutes - out of a one hour 49 minute movie - before the main plot actually kicks in, with most of this drawn-out first act being backstory for Marcus that, while featuring a couple of particularly thrilling fight sequences, the story could have done without.

Jamie Bell was an actor it took me some years to warm up to but Esca, despite being a very well-groomed and well-spoken 'savage', turns out to be the most interesting and complex character in the tale.

Marcus, however, although single-minded and dedicated to his cause is exceedingly one-dimensional and it's really Esca (who doesn't appear for the first half-hour) that drives the emotional narrative of The Eagle as he actually questions Marcus' obsession with recovering what is, essentially, just a lump of metal.

The relationship of the two central characters is rather awkwardly forced into a bromance, without any solid basic of trust, that ultimately turns the story into a buddy-cop flick by the time the credits roll on a strangely open ending.

Atmosphere-wise, Macdonald does a great job of a creating a British wilderness away from the areas of Roman 'civilization' although I can't speak to the historical accuracy of his portrayal of the northern tribes (the "Painted Seal" people looked more like Native American Mohicans to me, but like I said this isn't my area of expertise).

An odd film, The Eagle has some visually and inspirationally interesting moments, but takes way too long to find its feet, then has a gripping and exciting run 'beyond the wall' before stumbling again with its bizarre change of tone for the final scene.