The only thing I cannot understand about this film is why on earth it didn't get better publicity, marketing and a broader showing at Cinema's! I had to grub around on the internet to find somewhere, where it was showing and had to drive over twenty miles to get there, when there is a perfectly good multi-screen Odeon in the local town. Like Moon another British film, Cinema's let us down on the distribution.
The film starts with a man running/falling over a snowy mountain, hand's tied clearly trying to escape from someone who is pursuing him. It then goes to a scene of relaxing Roman soldiers drinking and fighting with each other, before, the next day, they are sent North to sort out the rebelious barbarians.
It turns out that the running man is the survivor of an attack by the Picts (Scots locals) of a remote Roman Fort which is overan and destroyed and the Centurion captured.
The 9th Legion (the drinkers and fighters) are despatched into the snowy North determined to bring the locals to heel but their plans lay in ruins when the Picts ambush their column and all but kill every soldier except for a few survivors.
What follows is a race back to the border and to safety for the Romans and a chase by the Picts who are determined to kill each and every Roman after their tribal Chief's son was killed by the invaders.
All in all this is a very underated, under sold, very well made, well acted, directed and produced film which provides one possible answer as to the fate of the 9th Legion. Where as Gladiator had all the Hollywood fluff and effects, Centurion has the down to earth grit and reality of how it would have been and is more realistic.
If you are interested in this period of time, Romans, Roman Britain, you will undoubtably enjoy this film and add it to your collection. There is lots of sword play and head lopping and a great deal of barbarity! Smashing! There maybe some continuity errors such as armour 'segmented' v 'chainmail' for the period but it's a film not a documentary!