CENTURION

UK, 2010, 97 minutes, Colour.
Michael Fassbinder, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko, Noel Clarke, Liam Cunningham, David Morrissey, Imogen Potts, J.J. Feild, Riz Ahmed, Ulrik Thomsen.
Directed by Neil Marshall.

The early 2nd century AD clash between the Roman imperial legions and the Picts on the British frontier of the empire was harsh and violent. Centurion is not afraid to show either the harshness or the violence (often quite graphically, especially a lot of throat-slitting). There is an extraordinary harshness in the filming of the craggy mountain landscapes, a terrain for survival for a group of Roman soldiers.

Writer-director Neil Marshall offers a credit of thanks to director Walter Hill and Greek historian, Zenophon (for Xenophon). Hill is a director of the tough and visceral school and Marshall quotes his film Southern Comfort. Xenophon chronicled the escape of a group of Greek soldiers fighting their way back to base and safety. In fact, Marshall's three previous films were all about small groups struggling for survival, menaced by hostile and violent enemies (Dog Soldiers where a group of soldiers confront werewolves, The Descent where a group of women cave explorers battle dead monsters, Doomsday a group in an apocalyptic future).

The narrator here is a soldier, Quintus Dias, son of a freed gladiator slave, captured by the Picts and tortured. In the meantime, the Roman commander sends the 9th legion (the subject of a forthcoming film from Kevin Mac Donald, The Eagle of the Ninth) to vanquish the Picts. The opposite happens and most of the men of the Ninth are massacred. A small group, including Quintus, who had been rescued by the legion, leads the small group on a flight north through the wintry Scottish landscapes, pursued by a crack group led by Etain, a tracker, whose family had suffered under the Romans and she had been raped and her tongue cut out. There are some moments of respite when a woman, exiled as a witch, does assist the fugitives.

The flight and chase are gruelling (even for the audience). The cast is strong: Michael Fassbended is Quintus, David Morrissey and Liam Cunningham are two soldier stalwarts. Ulrich Thomsen is the Pict leader. Dominic West the Roman General and Olga Kuryenko, fierce as Etain.

At times the voiceover from Quintus is literate and sonorously delivered followed by 21st century idiom and swearing.

While it re-creates the grim conditions for the legions and the clashes between empire and 'barbarians', the film is geared towards an audience (probably male) who prefer their films with action and toughness.

1. A piece of history? Re-creation of the period? The action genre? Its relationship to modern situations and warfare?

2. Scotland, the rugged mountains and cliffs, the forests, the snow, the camps and the forts? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3. The historical information, the role of the Picts, the Ninth Legion, Hadrian and his decisions, the building of the wall?

4. Quintus Dais and running in the snow, saying it was not the beginning nor the end of his story? The reprise of this statement at the end as he went back to stay with Arianne?

5. Quintus captured, imprisoned by the Picts, the status of the chief, the back-story of his being a farmer, the attack of the Romans? His being tested, the chief’s son cutting Quintus? In the cell? The picture of the Picts?

6. His escape, running through the forest, the pursuit, caught, about to be executed, rescued by the Romans?

7. The picture of the legion, in their headquarters, the men exiled from Rome, the bleak situation in Britain, the hand-wrestling match, the request for a replay, the general, his winning, the brawl of the men? A brutal world? The general, his being close to his men, their declarations for him? The messenger arriving, orders for an advance?

8. The general visiting the commander-in-chief, the strategy, the politics, the role of the army, following orders?

9. The advance, the mute scout, her leading the men, their being trapped, the spectacle of the fireballs on the legion? The attack, the melee, the close-ups of the fighting, the gorier aspects of hand-to-hand combat? The destruction of the legion? The general taken, the few survivors?

10. The general in the Pict village, interrogated, the slits, the group and their attempt to save him, coming into the camp, killing the guards, unable to free him? The general and his having to fight Etain, his death?

11. The group of survivors, Quintus emerging as the leader, the range of backgrounds, from Rome, soldiers, gladiators, cooks? The rescue attempt and its failure? The killing of the chief’s son? His funeral?

12. The Picts, their reaction, grief, sending Etain to lead the mission against the survivors, the group of soldiers pursuing, through the mountains, the forests? Catching up, killing by ambush? The reverse experience for the group and their killing some of the Picts?

13. Etain, her back-story, the sufferings of her parents, her own, her tongue cut out? Her being relentless, as a spy with the Romans? The pursuit, her appearance, her ability with weapons? At the river, catching the survivors, their jumping into the river? Going to Arianne’s house, the search, the threats to Arianne? The Picts’ fear of her as a witch and therefore not killing her? The final pursuit to the fort, the siege, the fight with Quintus and her death?

14. Quintus as a strong leader, the decision to go north instead of south? Walking, running, the forests, the snow, the mountains? Their being caught, the deaths, the leap into the river, their being saved?

15. Makros and Thax, the wolves pursuing them, Thax lying and cutting Makros’s leg, leaving him to the wolves? Thax, the killing of the boy, the end, the confrontation with Quintus and his death?

16. The final three, the injury to Bothos? His leg? Finding Arianne, her reputation as a witch, suspicions, the mushrooms and the previous information from the cook, her catching the fish, her stories? Saving the group, healing Bothos?

17. The arrival at the fort, empty, the siege, the fire, the Picts and the fighting, the old soldier being killed?

18. Finding the Romans, Bothos and his being shot by the guard?

19. Quintus, Thax’s arrival, his treachery, his death? Quintus and his being received by the military commander, the meal, the meeting and the decision to cover up the disaster for the Ninth Legion, poisoning Quintus? His confrontation with Drusilla, his escape?

20. The return to Arianne, an exile from Rome?

21. How satisfying a glimpse of part of Roman military history? The modern touches, the contrast between the elegant language of Quintus and his voice-over and the 21st century style of ordinary language of the men? Making the film contemporary?