The Eagle

A new commander has arrived in Roman-occupied Britain to defend his empire's holdings and reaffirm his family's honour. His father disappeared in Northern Britain while commanding the 9th Legion's 5,000 men and he is determined to discover what happened. His father's legion was also guarding Rome's Eagle Standard, the golden symbol of its imperial might. After having been injured in battle and relieved of his command, he sets out on a quest North of Hadrian's Wall to recover the Eagle and learn of his father's last stand. With only a British slave to guide him, his fate rests in enemy hands.

Ironically lacking in symbolism, the talons of Kevin MacDonald's The Eagle are not incredibly sharp. Championing individualism and suggesting that if one is resolute and brave they can forge themselves a cultural identity, the forces against which Marcus Flavius Aquila (Channing Tatum) and Esca (Jamie Bell) contend aren't exactly formidable. They make their way through hostile territory with relative ease and somehow win a poorly choreographed tussle to escape with Eagle intact. The film's examination of loyalty is bizarre as Esca betrays his people and aligns himself with Marcus even though the Romans conquered his land and murdered his family. Esca owes his life to Marcus after having been rescued from a blood-thirsty gladiator, and it's the solemnity of this debt that makes him honour his bond. If he didn't honour his father's code and consequently betrayed Marcus, even though Marcus's people were responsible for killing his father, it would be as if he had betrayed his father. Perhaps this isn't so bizarre, however, for it points out that groups are composed of individuals and individuals shouldn't be held accountable for the crimes of a group, ala the Good Samaritan, although the noble individual in question is setting out to recover a symbol of his group's domination, although the pursuit is more familial than cultural, as is Esca's fidelity to Marcus. Still, while The Eagle makes some thoughtful suggestions, the execution is stark (which isn't to say Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography isn't bold) and many of the serious scenes are more comic than audacious. I can still cheerfully hear Brian Blessed screaming "Where are my Eagles!" in the 1976 BBC miniseries I, Claudius. Where are your Eagles Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus, where are they?

The Last King of Scotland

Enjoyed Kevin MacDonald's The Last King of Scotland. Can't go to in-depth at this point, but I will point out that it’s nice to see a film that displays the exceptional acting talents of both Gillian Anderson and Forest Whitaker. I haven't seen Anderson in anything since the X-Files ended, and her brief role within The Last King demonstrates her diversity. Always great to see an actor who has been slotted into a particular role for over a decade provide us with a performance that helps to completely redefine their image (similar to Brad Dourif within Deadwood). The same can be said for Whitaker's performance which is brilliantly mad and creepy. I've been a Whitaker backer since The Crying Game and it’s great to see his voracious appetite for new levels of achievement on full display within. He provides a chilling portrait of a tyrant, a gripping encounter with the tragically political, and an unsettlingly clear view of a translucent megalomaniac, like Brando in Apocalyse Now, or those guys who played The Kray Brothers in The Krays.