THE LAST LEGION
UK, 2007, 102 minutes, Colour.
Colin Firth, Tommy Sangster, Miss World, Ben Kingsley, Peter Mullan, Kevin Mc Kidd, John Hannah, Robert Pugh, Rupert Friend, Iain Glen.
Directed by Doug Leffler.
This is quite an old-fashioned sand, sword and sandals Roman spectacular that is designed for younger audiences but may dissatisfy them since they tend to prefer everything faster, bloodier and more sensational. A pity.
The time is 460 AD, the fall of the Roman Empire. The Goths are in Rome and attack the emperor and his family. Caesar is a young boy who is imprisoned in Capri. Meanwhile, legion commanders who have been in the field for a decade are unable to protect the boy but rescue him from Capri and take him to Britain where battle is done with the local barbarian forces.
There is a tale told in voiceover by the tutor-magician Ambrosinus (Ben Kingsley) that a special sword made by Julius Caesar and hidden by Tiberius in Capri will find its destiny with the boy. The sword is Excalibur and, in Britain, the boy is the father of King Arthur.
Who would have thought of combining Romans, Barbarians and the legends of Camelot?
Tommy Sangster is good as the boy. It is a surprise to see Colin Firth in a legionary’s costume rather than in Regency or period dress but he fits into the character and action of the commander surprisingly well. Many British character actors appear, especially a Scots contingent of Peter Mullan, Kevin McKidd?, James Cosmo and John Hannah, all of whom except Hannah are cast as brutal barbarian Goths!
Former Miss World and now popular Bollywood and British movie star, Aishwarya Rai, portrays a warrior, whose swordplay and agility would shame the Romans.
Undemandingly entertaining.
1.The popularity of Roman stories, Arthurian stories? This film in the old style? Not the emphasis on violence? More designed for younger and family audiences?
2.The re-creation of ancient Rome, the cities, buildings, statuary? The palace? Capri and the cliff, the sea? Europe, the Alps? Britain and the countryside? The castle and Hadrian’s Wall? The musical score?
3.The action, the Goths and their invasion, the fights, the Britons, the battles? The musical score, rousing?
4.460AD, the fall of the Roman Empire? The collapse of the empire? The emperors, Caesar’s line, in Romulus? The deaths of his predecessors? The Goths, the Barbarians, the legions and their losing power, the young emperor, the final collapse?
5.Excalibur, Caesar’s sword, to Tiberius, hidden in Capri, Romulus finding it? Taking it to Britain, in the final battle, giving it to Aurelius? At the end, Romulus throwing it, its going into the rock? Arthur hearing the story? The final close-up of Excalibur?
6.Ambrosinus and his telling the story, whether it was true or not, the legend? The voice-over? His teaching Romulus? As a seer, his magic performance, his being expelled by Romulus’s father, his return? The attack and his trusting in Aurelius? Going to Capri, the attack, his being put out to hang, getting onto the statue and loose? The fight, his being the guide? The emblem on his chest and memories of the old story, the confrontation with the Briton leader? His ability to fight? In the final battles, confronting his enemy, the burning tree, the burning enemy? Telling Arthur the story? Revealing himself as Merlin?
7.Rome, Romulus on the statue, watching, his age, the legion returning, trying to look at the sword, Aurelius thinking he was a street boy, pushing him in the pool, wanting to cut off his hand? His father, the mother, their concern? The role of the Senate, Odoacer and his dealings with the Senate? Ambrosinus expelled? Odoacer’s claims, the attack? His henchmen, the killing of the parents, his removing his henchman’s figure, his exiling Romulus to Capri?
8.Capri, Rome and Odoacer, Romulus as strong, the envoy from the emperor in Constantinople? The politics? The warriors, the tactics, Aurelius and the releasing of the men, going to Capri, climbing the cliff, the fight, the revelation that Mira was a woman, her skill in fighting, helping, going to Aurelius’s rescue? Their diving into the sea?
9.Aurelius, the ten years away from Rome, the return, his being of the old school, meeting his senator friend? To guard the emperor, giving his word? His oath, his relationship with his men, his assistant, Demetrius, the Nubian? The bonds between them? Their fighting, his getting their release, Mira and her helping?
10.Their journey through the Alps, the hardships in going to Britain? The decision to go to Britain, Romulus giving his word?
11.The Britons, Hadrian’s Wall, the last legion, their being dispersed, abandoned by Rome, their leader, the farmers, surviving? A new life?
12.The Britons, the leader with his mask, the vicious attacks? Wanting to attack the emperor? Ambrosinus and his advice? The destruction? The legionaries and their fear?
13.Aurelius, the siege, using his wits, the archers and the attack, the shields, the Britons and their entering the fort? The deaths? The Nubian and his dying? Mira and her fighting, the Romans coming to the rescue? Aurelius and Excalibur, the confrontation with Odoacer’s henchmen and his death? Romulus and his fighting?
14.Romulus throwing Excalibur, declaring peace?
15.Ambrosinus, telling the story to Arthur, the story of Aurelius, Mira, Romulus, Pendragon, fathering Arthur? Merlin revealed?
16.The final focus on Excalibur itself?
