My Favourite Movies: Centurion

One last roll of the dice. It’s what the Emperor wants, it’s what the Emperor demands. After years of raiding by the as yet unconquered northern tribes known as Picts the Emperor has had enough. To end the troubles once and for all he sends the 9th Legion, commanded by General Titus Flavius Virilus (Dominic West) north into enemy territory. Their mission is to destroy the Pict threat for ever. To help them find their elusive enemy is a local female tracker Etain (Olga Kurylenko), who is reputed to hold no love for the Picts and to be almost supernatural in her abilities, is assigned to lead them to the enemy camp. But Etain has other ideas. Meeting them on the road north is escaped centurion Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) who knows a thing or two about the Picts and speaks their language fluently. Joining the 9th Legion he is involved in Etain’s treachery but survives along with a handful of other Roman soldiers – either lucky enough or skilful enough to escape the massacre. Ready to flew home south Dias commands them into the heart of the beast to rescue the General or die trying. But when the rescue mission fails the remaining men must run for their lives dogged at every step by Pict warriors who know every blade of grass and appear never to need rest or food. Hundreds of miles behind their own lines and on foot the odds are stacked against them. But Dias has made a promise to get them home and it’s a promise he intends to keep no matter what.

Billed as ‘Britain’s answer to Gladiator’ this is a cracking film that packs a lot into its 93 minute running time. Fassbender is at the heart of things throughout and is a delight to watch as always. He comes across as a battle hardened veteran of numerous campaigns who is deadly in close quarter combat and decisive in his command of men. Kurylenko (also seen in Max Payne, Hitman, Quantum of Solace and Oblivion) is superb as the female warrior out for revenge against all things Roman and the supporting cast of J J Field, Lee Ross, David Morrissey, Liam Cunningham and Noel Clarke make an interesting set of Roman soldiers who try to balance taking orders with survival in an environment where everything and everyone is trying to kill them.

Two other actors deserve a mention – Axelle Carolyn (seen with the bow in the picture below) who played a second Pict warrior woman almost as dedicated as Etain to killing Romans with an almost casual disregard and Imogen Poots who plays the solitary ‘witch’ who comes to the Roman survivors aid when they most need it.

Fast paced and relentlessly violent with blood a-plenty this gives both sides of the fight equal credit without demonising either side. Implacable enemies are given reasons for their hatred and become much more believable because of it. There are few good guys and bad guys here – just people fighting for what they hold dear and for their lives when they have to. If there are any truly bad guys here it is the arrogant General who thinks he can conquer the world and the corrupt politician who will do anything to go home to his beloved Rome. If you want a stunning Roman adventure on the very frontiers of the known world this is definitely it.