Movie Review: Centurion

Centurion
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko, Imogen Poots
Director: Neil Marshall
Pathé Pictures International, UK Film Council, Warner Bros, United Kingdom, 2010

 It is 117 AD, Roman army is fighting against Picts in Britain. Centurion Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) is getting tired of the long-lasting war. Picts destroy a Roman garrison and capture centurion Quintus because he can speak Pictish. The 9th Legion commanded by Titus Flavius Virilus (Dominic West) is mobilized to capture leader of the Picts Gorlacon. Terminator-like slave-woman Etain (Olga Kurylenko) is sent to find Gorlacon. The Romans rescue Quintus who is being chased by Picts.

Quintus is tired of Britain

Virilus on the warpath

The legion is ambushed and almost all are killed. The general is captured and the surviving legionnaires decide to save him. After the son of Gorlacus is killed the Romans find themselves being hunted. There is also an exiled healer Arianne (Imogen Poots) living in the woods who offers some help to the Romans.

Etain going after someone

Battle is brutal

Battle scenes are brutal and gory. Neil Marshall has directed some good survival horrors (Descent and Dog Soldiers) and also scifi thriller Doomsday. Again the film has a small group trying to survive against fierce enemies. Centurion is a solid historic action film with a couple of twists.

Great balls of fire

Arianne talking with Quintus

Hadrian's Wall being built

Rating:Good