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Centurion Movie Review
Centurion is director Neil Marshall’s fourth movie and my favourite of his so far. Centurion follows the story of the legendary Roman Ninth Legion who in 114 AD were in the Scottish Highlands during the invasion of Britain the legion find themselves in a war with the local Picts, the Celtic dwellers of the Highlands.
When their mission goes from bad to worse the Legion find themselves out of their element and now the hunted rather than the hunters. Michael Fassbender leads the cast of Centurion as Quintus Disa the only survivor of a Pict attack on a Roman garrison who finds himself saved by the Ninth Legion. Dominic West stars as the commander of the Ninth Legion who is given a Pict rebel scout Etain played by Olga Kurylenko who is mute and a fearsome warrior in her own right. Other cast members include Noel Clarke, David Morrissey, Dave Legeno and Imogen Poots, and everyone does a good job, Dominic West steals the show early on with his bravado laden Legion leader, and Olga Kurylenko has the look of a woman that could handle herself and she definitely has the physicality. Michael Fassbender inst even really the star of the movie until the second or third acts but does a good job with what he’s given.
Personally I liked Centurion, although I doubt everyone will, it’s not an epic movie but it is an interesting tale that has amazing breathtaking landscapes and a colour palette that would make any art director happy. Neil Marshall really is one of the better English directors out there, who consistently ups his game with every movie. It’s a shame Centurion really wasn’t promoted a bit better, I remember the pre release information and photos that were released and they didn’t do the final movie any justice.
Overall Centurion is a violent, graphic, tense and atmospheric movie that will no doubt appeal to anyone who liked any of Marshall’s previous movies and it has a very similar flow and overall themes and tone to it. It’s no epic, but then I really don’t like epic movies if you like fantasy, historical or just good action movies then you will no doubt get a real kick out of Centurion.
