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Centurion (Film)

by Annette Basile | July 26, 2010 15:05 | Edited July 26, 2010 15:06

Standing apart from its mindless Hollywood counterparts, this action-adventure is an exciting and smart piece of escapism

Hollywood could learn a thing or two from Centurion. This British-made action-adventure yarn, a piece of historical fiction from Roman Britain, works off a fresh template. It avoids the traps that its Californian counterparts often set for themselves - like trying to be everything to everyone, or playing to the lowest common denominator. In other words, it's not mindless.

Set in 117AD, Michael Fassbender (Hunger, Inglourious Basterds, Fish Tank) drives the story as Quintus Dias, a Roman officer stationed at what he calls "the arsehole of the world" - northern Britain. After violent events, he connects with a small band of fellow Roman soldiers, who, like him, have survived the onslaught of the fearsome tribal Picts. From here, Centurion essentially becomes a chase movie, with the Romans cast as the hunted. The Picts, who dwelled in what's now known as Scotland, had held the Romans at bay for some twenty years before the film opens, and although they may look like a bunch of modern-day inner-city ferals, you still wouldn't want to mess with them. The Romans just can't match the Picts' guerrilla moves.

 

Centurion was inspired by the legend of Rome's Ninth Legion, who marched into northern Britain and apparently vanished without a trace. Writer/director Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers), who grew up near Hadrian's Wall in Newcastle upon Tyne, came up with the idea for the film while driving on Roman roads near his birthplace.

 

Fassbender is simply excellent as Quintus. Immediately likeable, he throws himself into the role and takes you with him. For a film like this to work, the audience has to care about what happens to him, and while the character isn't brilliantly written, Fassbender delivers much more than what stood on the naked page. The supporting characters are poorly defined yet still well played, with Riz Ahmed (The Road To Guantanamo) rising from the hunted pack as Tarak, an army cook, while Dominic West (The Wire) as General Virilus, and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later, Me And Orson Welles) as the accused witch Arianne, are impressive.

 
Marshall has a better grip on action than on people, despite aiming for a character piece; a tale that he says is supposed to be "about individuals". He's nevertheless a skilled filmmaker who can see the story from both sides. He doesn't paint in the broad strokes of goodies and baddies, and pays attention to the little details.

 
Marshall's one concession to formula is bowing to the unwritten law of having to cast eye candy, here in the form of Bond girl Olga Kurylenko (Quantum Of Solace). She's capable but not entirely convincing as Etain, a tough, instinctive Pict tracker.

 

The action is always relevant, the romance unforced, the CGI Roman soldiers are seamlessly woven in, and the score is neither generic nor intrusive (a rare thing in this genre). Although the violence is brutal, it's not a gore-fest, and Marshall keeps an eye on the scales. He knows that, after all, this is about telling an entertaining story, and not grossing you out.

 

Centurion isn't an especially memorable film but it's certainly a very enjoyable one.