Movie of the Week – Centurion

This week’s movie: Centurion (2010).

In Britain, A.D. 117, the legendary Ninth Legion of Rome under General Vitilus’s command journeys north of Hadrian’s Wall under orders to destroy the Picts and their leader Gorlacon. This is the story of Quintus Dias, one of the few survivors, after the Picts decimate the Romans in a sneak attack.

Writer-director Neil Marshall had a strong background in thriller/horror films (having directed The Decent) as he entered production on Centurion giving him a good grasp on employing tension and shooting action. After Centurion, he directed maybe the best episode of Game of Thrones to date – Blackwater. He worked with composer Ilan Eshkeri, cinematographer Sam McCurdy (who does impressive work), and production designer Simon Bowles on this film.

The cast is fantastic. The film stars Michael Fassbender, and features Dominic West, JJ Field, David Morrissey, Ulrich Thomsen, Olga Kurylenko, Liam Cunningham, Noel Clarke, Riz Ahmed, and Imogen Poots in support.

Centurion has a bad rap (at least with critics when it came out). For a low budget British action thriller/drama, it is fantastic. It is among the best recent films regarding Rome’s occupation of Britain (and it makes a decent companion piece to The Eagle and the fictional King Arthur – though, it is the best of the three). Fassbender gives a good performance, and it has a ‘trapped behind enemy lines with a small group’ plot that works well. The action scenes are also quite compelling, outshining many big budget films. While Centurion is not a classic, it is a great underrated/under-seen film and well worth checking out for fans of Roman Empire period action films.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray, DVD, and Streaming

Movie of the Week – Eden Lake

Movie of the week: Eden Lake (2008).

Jenny and Steve leave the city for a romantic weekend away, camping next to a water-filled quarry. Enjoying their romantic break, the young couple comes across a group of local youths who begin to stir up trouble, escalating to unimaginable consequences.

Eden Lake is British writer-director James Watkins’s first feature film, and he has since gone on to direct the British ghost thriller The Woman in Black. Watkins takes the classic horror formula (typically found in Cabin in the Woods type movies) and removes all the supernatural and crazy killer elements, rather his film is about normal people who cross lines they can never come back from, which makes it all the more compelling and effecting.

Watkins worked with a great group on the film. Composer David Julyan (known for is great scores in The Prestige and The Cabin in the Woods) gives the film an extra emotional edge with his score. Along with Watkins, cinematographer Christopher Ross and production designer Simon Bowles give the film a very gritty and visceral look and feel.

As scary and thrilling as the action is, this type of film lives or dies with its characters and performances. Kelly Reilly is brilliant in the lead. She brings so much energy and fearlessness to it – the audience feels everything. Michael Fassbender and Jack O’Connell are also good in support.

Eden Lake has the appearance of a throwaway schlocky horror film, a dime a dozen. But, it is one of the best horror-thrillers in recent memory, with fantastic performances and gripping drama. It is a must-see for genre fans.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Streaming