Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Roy Hart If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Leoni Haney Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.

Gabry Choals Epic action film notable for its thoughtfulness in dealing with questions of 'conquered vs. conqueror'; really explores the theme of Romans vs. Britons. Also loved its positive yet honest portrayal of Rome as a society that brought much good (as well as bad, but this is usually overplayed) with its conquests... the world beyond Hadrian's Wall was not one you ventured into without good reason. ;) Gorgeous cinematography, sweeping shots, honors classic virtues of loyalty and perseverance, amazing score. A bit graphic, especially with violence towards children, but hey, it's B.C.! Channing Tatum does an excellent job portraying Marcus as a strong yet soulful man of high integrity, the best Rome could produce. Jamie Bell was better than usual...a bit open-mouthed, and not half as wild and 'hunterly' as the Esca I know and love in the book. Would have given it 10 if not for him.

t-viktor212 This movie, as said in credits, is based on the Children Novel by Rosemary Sutcliff, yet with some mayor plot changes.First of all, I must say this is so far the most realistic roman-era movie I've seen, even more real than the gladiator. If you want to learn roman history, just go watch it. You get a battle with roman strategic formations, a realistic villa, also you can see a roman road just as they truly were, higher-leveled respect to the ground, without forgetting hadrian's wall. So, even with some mistakes it's enough realistic.Another thing is the visuals. Very good, these Scottish landscapes (must say that england scenes were filmed in Hungary thoug) really catch you. Even that "shaky camera" effect they used in hunger games makes it quite well instead here.The real problem, that made me take off 2 marks to this, was the fact that you see children being killed. In my opinion that's the very worst thing to include in a movie, together with violence on women, I don't find it acceptable at all.Overall, an enough good movie, good acting and must underline the well-included Celtic music score.

U. H. S. Warning - contains spoilers concerning the original book and the movie plot:I loved and still love the book of Rosemary Sutcliff, because its details of the plots:the introduction-plot of how Aquila was even quite deeply befriended with the British people around the Roman fort, how the situation was able to change so that they became enemies in fight... how he found the former friend's family dead after a fight and how sad that was for him... etc.the frame-plot about Cottia and Esca and Wolf- how watching Cottia had a main influence why Aquila himself decided to buy Esca, how Esca was important for getting the wolf cub named Wolf - then the part, how the connection between Aquila and Cottia started by the help of the wolf cub ... and after the return of Aquila it started to blossom the main story - the story about the Eagle, the idea of the mission, the main idea that Aquila would travel as Medic for Eyes so that he would be welcome - and how he even got working medicine by the aid of the medic who was a friend of the uncle... How Aquila decided to let Esca free BEFORE they left so that Esca joined him as equal man, not as slave ... etc. etc.And then I had to watch the movie:All important parts except the action-parts cut away or changed completely - and even the action parts changed so much that it all completely changed the drawn characters of Esca and Aquila and even other persons - it nearly made a kind of Rambo out of out of Aquila... and so of course this movie as well perverted the story plot in the North - nearly all natives constructed as evil monsters - far different than in the book where the ambivalence was a main point.Therefore - this could have become a great story of a movie, but it was perverted into a flat Action-C-Movie at the cost of all important side- plots and even at the cost of main aspects of the main plot:Even the end was changed into the complete opposite: Whilst in the book the eagle's wings had to stay at the northern tribe and therefore it was pointed out as impossible to re-establish the Ninth with an eagle-torso which had lost its wings, but nevertheless Aquila AND Esca get rewarded both (but secretly) - Well, in the movie of course the War-Heroes rescued the eagle COMPLETELY and then they even openly babble about rebuilding the Ninth Legion - robbing the story the last aspect of its real historical context... WHAT THE ****?-> I was close to give 2 points, but it went worse and worse... so only 1 point possible.

starving_college_student This isn't a bad film. It has some nice photography, action scenes and some good scenes. But overall it doesn't rise above average. While the acting isn't bad, Tatum just doesn't have the dynamic ability to make Marcus deep or completely relatable. But that's not a huge deal. It's the story which is the biggest obstacle. The problem is: the story does everything you think it will before you even watch it (they go to look for the Eagle, they fight some people and they find it). It doesn't go in any unexpected directions, and it doesn't do anything unique (plus the final battle was too clichéd for my taste). If you're looking for something to kill a few hours, this might be for you. But don't expect to be blown away.