When you least expect it, a great treasure suddenly surfaces. The Last Legion is both a cracking swords, sandals and 'sorcery' film and a fine representation of my eternal quest for traces of Dungeons & Dragonsyness in movies.
From Ben Kingsley's Jedi/trickster/retired adventurer Ambrosinus to the young Emperor's magic sword, this is pure fantasy adventure, done with great style and all-star cast.
Thomas Sangster (from Doctor Who: Human Nature/Family Of Blood) is Romulus, declared Emperor of Rome the day before the Goths invade and take over.
He is captured, along with Ambrosinus and it's up to Legion Commander Aurelius (Colin Firth) and his rag-tag group of surviving legionnaires - plus beautiful Indian warrior-woman Mira (Aishwarya Rai) - to go and rescue him from his island prison in Capri.
Then things get worse and the group find their only possible allies are the forgotten Ninth Legion in Britain and have to make tracks for Hadrian's Wall... which they discover abandoned; the legionnaires have "gone native".
However the Goths - under the command of wicked Kevin McKidd (later to be Lucius Vorenus in Rome) - are on their trail and have teamed up with British warlord Vortgyn (Harry Van Gorkum) who wants the Emperor's magic sword so he can rule the country.
A lot of people dismissed this great little action-adventure flick because it was not "historically accurate", but since when has every single film been required to educate as well as entertain?
Was Gladiator a historical documentary? Or Clash Of The Titans a study of ancient Greek history ? Or The Good, The Bad And The Ugly an accurate portrayal of life in the Old West?
The Last Legion sets itself up as a prequel to the legendary Arthur myth cycle - which itself is not exactly history, but mostly make believe and symbolism - and that's where the film does make its one error of judgement.
It may be stylistically 'cool' to end with the Emperor's sword (Excalibur) wedged in a stone, covered in moss, waiting for the "rightful ruler" to pull it out... but that wasn't Excalibur!
Arthur was given Excalibur later by the Lady In The Lake...
But that's just geeky silliness, it's like quibbling over the detailing of the armour or the choice of weapons.
The fact is The Last Legion is a cracking adventure flick for all the family and a fine piece of sword and sandal nonsense for any geek worth his salt.
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