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From Amazon.co.uk
Epic filmmaking has fallen out of favour, but The Eagle fights hard to bring it back. Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) chose to lead a Roman garrison in occupied Britain because that's where his father lost a military standard--a metal eagle, representing the glory of imperial Rome--on an expedition into the northern wilds. To reclaim his family honor, Aquila sets off into native territory to recover the eagle, with only a slave named Esca (Jamie Bell) to help him--but the more Aquila learns about Esca's history, the more he has reason to doubt his slave's loyalty. The Eagle starts with engaging momentum; this is a work of fiction, but there's an impressive commitment to the details of life, evoking the sights, sounds, and smells of a raw and brutal time. (Director Kevin Macdonald began as a documentarian, which no doubt contributes to his appreciation for grit and sweat.) Tatum is not the most versatile actor but he has enough solid charisma to anchor the movie; Bell's fluid emotional presence keeps their relationship dynamic. The movie loses steam in the last third, as the outcome is never really in doubt and the plot mechanics start to feel a bit rote. But for anyone with an interest in the era, or who simply enjoys a taste of blood and thunder, The Eagle has pleasures aplenty. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description
A Roman epic adventure, based on the classic novel of the same name, set in the dangerous world of second-century Britain. In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca (Jamie Bell), Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.
Special Features:
Special Features:
- Feature Commentary with Director Kevin Macdonald
- Alternate Ending
- Deleted Scenes
- The Eagle: The Making Of A Roman Epic
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
89 of 101 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
As a film fan and an amateur student of ancient history, I was quite prepared for this movie to be irritatingly facile and bear no relation to actual events.
But this is a quality film - historically on the money (with one or two very small exceptions), decent screenplay, good lead performances (especially Jamie Bell), fantastic photography, and very effective celtic mood music.
I was even moved to tears here and there. If you liked Apocalypto, Valhalla Rising and Gladiator, you will like this. There are plenty of action sequences but without gratuitous gore but it also has the emotional tug that films for grown-ups should have.
A Roman bromance with echoes of The Defiant Ones - definitely worth an airing.
But this is a quality film - historically on the money (with one or two very small exceptions), decent screenplay, good lead performances (especially Jamie Bell), fantastic photography, and very effective celtic mood music.
I was even moved to tears here and there. If you liked Apocalypto, Valhalla Rising and Gladiator, you will like this. There are plenty of action sequences but without gratuitous gore but it also has the emotional tug that films for grown-ups should have.
A Roman bromance with echoes of The Defiant Ones - definitely worth an airing.
58 of 67 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Have been an avid reader of Rosemary Sutcliff for many a year, so was interested in how the film would convey the broad themes. It starts off well, but then starts to lose momentum, mainly because the lead character appears to be an action man type and not much else. Jamie Bell as Esca is better at conveying a personality. The American accents are not too much of an irritant (one character even uses the word "Autumn"!) and at least we were spared words like awesome. There are some significant divergences from the book, for example I don't recall RS bringing in a Custer-style last stand from the survivors of the 9th, and the female role of Cotta is not brought in at all. The film's been called a bromance and I can see why, as there are no female roles of any note whatsoever. The battle/conflict scenes are shot in a blurred motion way that emphasises the chaos but loses the clarity and I don't understand how they get away with it in the last fight, as the opposing numbers seem too great; I can only assume that the death of the leader is the cause for the others to leg it, but it's not made clear at all.
In summary, not bad at all, but it didn't quite light my fire, whereas the book still does, even after all these years. The scenery however is magnificent and some of the music is very good as well. Worth buying when it's in the car-boot sale/Tesco sale price bracket, but read the book anyway - it's a cracking tale.
In summary, not bad at all, but it didn't quite light my fire, whereas the book still does, even after all these years. The scenery however is magnificent and some of the music is very good as well. Worth buying when it's in the car-boot sale/Tesco sale price bracket, but read the book anyway - it's a cracking tale.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By C. Pierides
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this DVD, bought from Amazon UK. And I think most reviewers have been a bit harsh in their ratings. Its gritty, hard edged but thankfully missing the wanton gore of its contemporary movies without missing the violence and harsh barbarian reality of the time in which the movie is framed.
The message is clearly projected.... the corruption, arrogance and deceit of politicians is there much the same as it is the world over today- looking down on honest folk who through their decency keep the human world from decending into the primordial sludge we are said to have come from.
And the bond between father and son, wanting to believe the best of the man who took 5000 Centurions into Caledonia never to be seen again- the deep rooted worry that there might have been thruth in the rumour spread by politicians of cowardice and family dishonour- which of course, you have to see the DVD to find out the truth about the Golden Eagle- the symbol of Rome and its civilisation.
The young man Marcus puts aside his prejudice towards the "inferior" Brit slave, as he grows to find that he is more honourable and trustworthy than some of his own Roman kind.... indeed, a solid story centering on the bond that develops between these two people who come from very different backgrounds.
A decent human story with universal appeal which makes you want to shout out and cheer when "the good guys" get it right.
Buy the DVD, its worth every penny.
The message is clearly projected.... the corruption, arrogance and deceit of politicians is there much the same as it is the world over today- looking down on honest folk who through their decency keep the human world from decending into the primordial sludge we are said to have come from.
And the bond between father and son, wanting to believe the best of the man who took 5000 Centurions into Caledonia never to be seen again- the deep rooted worry that there might have been thruth in the rumour spread by politicians of cowardice and family dishonour- which of course, you have to see the DVD to find out the truth about the Golden Eagle- the symbol of Rome and its civilisation.
The young man Marcus puts aside his prejudice towards the "inferior" Brit slave, as he grows to find that he is more honourable and trustworthy than some of his own Roman kind.... indeed, a solid story centering on the bond that develops between these two people who come from very different backgrounds.
A decent human story with universal appeal which makes you want to shout out and cheer when "the good guys" get it right.
Buy the DVD, its worth every penny.
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
worth watching
enjoyed this film not sure how true to history it was??but even so it was very good the costumes were very good
Published 2 days ago by jellybean
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good stoty
I like this film very much as it is based on the legendary story of the ninth legion, the atmosphere and the decors. Read more
Published 22 days ago by Michel Carronnier
2.0 out of 5 stars
The sad Eagle
This was a disappointment, the book was far better ' The Eagle of the Ninth'. Why Channing Tatum? Sadly it was pants
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. J. K. Elliot
4.0 out of 5 stars
this was great
good storey line dvd was very good,what more can I say this is a movie I can watch over and over again
Published 1 month ago by nick
4.0 out of 5 stars
Eagle Critiqe
ENJOYABLE, BUT NOT AS GOOD AS THE BOOK, WHICH I DOWNLOADED. THE BOOK IS FAR MORE DETAILED AND EMPHASISES. HOW SUICIDLE IT WOULD BE TO GO BEYOND THE WALL, AS A ROMAN
Published 1 month ago by Orinoco
5.0 out of 5 stars
Movie
I didn't realised that an entire Roman Legion had been wiped out in Scotland by the Picts until I saw this movie and checked up historicaly.
Typical movie. Read more
Typical movie. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tim archer
4.0 out of 5 stars
I liked this because ...
There wasn't a weak point in this film, the atmosphere, the dirt, (you can almost smell it!) and the acting is first class. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Isabel Barradell
4.0 out of 5 stars
Faithful film of classic book
Nice performances fro lead actors and good sense of period.
The African appearance of the Scottish tribes was inappropriate; they would free in winter dressed like that.
The African appearance of the Scottish tribes was inappropriate; they would free in winter dressed like that.
Published 1 month ago by J. B. West
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bought as present
Once again bought as a present so I cannot comment on the film itself, but packaged and sent excellently as ever thank you
Published 2 months ago by janzi
1.0 out of 5 stars
odd
sounded like a good film to watch but turned out to be boring and similar to many other films of similar mode
Published 2 months ago by robert cuthbert
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