I always have a soft spot for films that involves Ancient Rome as a setting and The Eagle is no exception. The Eagle is a perfect example of how a film can be efficient and effective, while at the time being totally average and nothing special. It works because the film avoids the overly-used CGI effects, in place of real human flesh. The battles seem slightly more realistic, despite the constant MTV style editing in brutal fight scenes. The only minor distraction is a lack of any female presence in the entire film, then again, it probably works in the film’s flavour in being a straight forward, no nonsense action packed historical movie. It certainly works, but never rises above its genre conventions, much like 2010’s Centurion…

Neo rates it 6.5/10.

Directed by Kevin Macdonald.
Starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland.