Centurion

Rating: ***/*****, or 7/10

Enjoyable high adrenaline action film set in Roman times. In the Second Century A.D., a Roman legion sets out on a mission in the unconquered north of Britain but walks into an ambush and gets viciously decimated, after which a ragtag group of survivors of various ranks and ethnic backgrounds led by Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender, just before his definite breakthrough roles in X-Men: First Class and Shame the year after) must run for their lives behind enemy lines to get back to Hadrian's Wall and safety. Unfortunately for them, they're hunted by an elite team of killer Picts led by the mute but scary assassin Etain (Olga Kurylenko). Will any of them make it out alive? And if they do, could they ever go back to the life of Roman soldiery? Neil Marshall (The Descent, Doomsday) does his thing as an accomplished action director and doesn't bother making anything even resembling a Roman epic, but delivers a simple chase flick set in ancient times instead. What the film lacks in its straightforward story it makes up for decently in action and suspense. Ironically enough, the following year The Eagle was released (very similar plot wise but more serious in tone), which in terms of story was almost a direct sequel, though that particular production had no ties to Centurion.

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Olga Kurylenko, Dominic West

Directed by Neil Marshall

UK: Celador Films, 2010

This awesome animated poster was also attached to the film, setting the tone of the movie more effectively than the regular theatrical poster bothered to do: