The Eagle (2011 film): Difference between revisions
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Twenty years after the [[Legio IX Hispana|Ninth Legion]] disappeared in the north of Britain, Marcus Flavius Aquila, a young Roman [[centurion]] arrives in Britain to serve at his first post as a |
Twenty years after the [[Legio IX Hispana|Ninth Legion]] disappeared in the north of Britain, Marcus Flavius Aquila, a young Roman [[centurion]] arrives in Britain to serve at his first post as a garrison commander. Aquila, whose father was the last to hold the [[Aquila (Roman)|eagle standard]] of the ill-fated legion, sets out to redeem his family's honor by bravely serving in Britain. Shortly afterwards, only Aquila's bravery saves the garrison from being overrun by Celtic tribesman. He is decorated for his bravery but honorably discharged due to a severe injury. |
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Living at his uncle's estate in southern Britain, Aquila has to cope with his military career having been cut short and his father's name still held in disrepute. Heeding |
Living at his uncle's estate in southern Britain, Aquila has to cope with his military career having been cut short and his father's name still held in disrepute. Heeding rumors that the eagle standard has been seen in the north of Britain, Aquila decides to recover it. Despite the warnings of his fellow Romans, who believe that no Roman can survive north of [[Hadrian's Wall]], Aquila travels north into the territory of the [[Pict]]s, accompanied only by his British slave Esca. Esca, the son of a [[Brigantes|Brigant]] chieftain, detests Rome and what it stands for, but also considers himself bound to his master, who saved his life during an [[amphitheater]] show. |
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After several weeks of traveling through the northern wilderness, Esca and Aquila encounter Guern, one of the |
After several weeks of traveling through the northern wilderness, Esca and Aquila encounter Guern, one of the survivors of the Ninth Legion. Guern recalls that all but a small number of deserters were killed in an ambush by the northern tribes and that the eagle standard was taken away by the Seal People, the most vicious of the tribes. Guern also told Aquila that Esca knew about it the whole time, since his tribe was one of the tribes that attacked and destroyed the legion. The two travel further north until they are found by the Seal People. Identifying as a chieftain's son fleeing Roman rule and claiming Aquila as his slave, Esca is welcomed by the tribe. After allowing the Seal People to mistreat Aquila, Esca reveals that his actions were a ploy and helps his master to retrieve the eagle. |
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The two flee south, with the Seal People in hot pursuit. Aquila, slowed by his old battle wound, orders Esca to bring the the eagle back to Roman territory and even [[Manumission|grants the reluctant slave his freedom]]. Freed, Esca still refuses to abandon his friend and instead heads out to look for help and returns with the survivors of the Ninth legion just as the Seal People catch up with them. The legionaries, wishing to redeem themselves, accept Aquila as their commander and manage to fight off the Seal People's attack. After burying the fallen legionaries - including Guern - Aquila, Esca and the few survivors of the Ninth return to Roman territory, where Aquila delivers the eagle to the astonished commander of the Roman legions. |
The two flee south, with the Seal People in hot pursuit. Aquila, slowed by his old battle wound, orders Esca to bring the the eagle back to Roman territory and even [[Manumission|grants the reluctant slave his freedom]]. Freed, Esca still refuses to abandon his friend and instead heads out to look for help and returns with the survivors of the Ninth legion just as the Seal People catch up with them. The legionaries, wishing to redeem themselves, accept Aquila as their commander and manage to fight off the Seal People's attack. After burying the fallen legionaries - including Guern - Aquila, Esca and the few survivors of the Ninth return to Roman territory, where Aquila delivers the eagle to the astonished commander of the Roman legions. As there's talk of the Ninth legion being reformed, with Aquila as its commander, Aquila and Esca wonder what they will do next, with Aquila leaving the decision to his former slave. |
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==Cast== |
==Cast== |
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Revision as of 00:02, 28 February 2011
| The Eagle | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Kevin Macdonald |
| Screenplay by | Jeremy Brock |
| Produced by | Duncan Kenworthy |
| Starring | Channing Tatum Jamie Bell Donald Sutherland Mark Strong |
| Cinematography | Anthony Dod Mantle |
| Edited by | Justine Wright |
| Music by | Atli Örvarsson |
Production companies | Toledo Productions Film4 |
| Distributed by | Focus Features |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 114 minutes |
| Countries | Template:Film US Template:Film UK |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $25 million[1] |
| Box office | $18,085,785[2] |
The Eagle is a film adaptation of the 1954 historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. Directed by Kevin Macdonald from a script by Jeremy Brock, the film is set in the 2nd century AD and is about a young Roman officer's search to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father's legion in the north of Britain and the recovery of the Roman eagle standard. The story is based on the legend of the Legio IX Hispana (Ninth Spanish Legion) which is alleged to have disappeared in Britain in around AD 117.
The film stars Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Donald Sutherland, and Mark Strong. Filming began on 24 August 2009 and took place in Hungary and Scotland. The film is a United Kingdom and United States co-production. It was released on 11 February 2011 in the USA and Canada through Focus Features, and it will be released on 25 March 2011 in the United Kingdom.
Plot
Twenty years after the Ninth Legion disappeared in the north of Britain, Marcus Flavius Aquila, a young Roman centurion arrives in Britain to serve at his first post as a garrison commander. Aquila, whose father was the last to hold the eagle standard of the ill-fated legion, sets out to redeem his family's honor by bravely serving in Britain. Shortly afterwards, only Aquila's bravery saves the garrison from being overrun by Celtic tribesman. He is decorated for his bravery but honorably discharged due to a severe injury.
Living at his uncle's estate in southern Britain, Aquila has to cope with his military career having been cut short and his father's name still held in disrepute. Heeding rumors that the eagle standard has been seen in the north of Britain, Aquila decides to recover it. Despite the warnings of his fellow Romans, who believe that no Roman can survive north of Hadrian's Wall, Aquila travels north into the territory of the Picts, accompanied only by his British slave Esca. Esca, the son of a Brigant chieftain, detests Rome and what it stands for, but also considers himself bound to his master, who saved his life during an amphitheater show.
After several weeks of traveling through the northern wilderness, Esca and Aquila encounter Guern, one of the survivors of the Ninth Legion. Guern recalls that all but a small number of deserters were killed in an ambush by the northern tribes and that the eagle standard was taken away by the Seal People, the most vicious of the tribes. Guern also told Aquila that Esca knew about it the whole time, since his tribe was one of the tribes that attacked and destroyed the legion. The two travel further north until they are found by the Seal People. Identifying as a chieftain's son fleeing Roman rule and claiming Aquila as his slave, Esca is welcomed by the tribe. After allowing the Seal People to mistreat Aquila, Esca reveals that his actions were a ploy and helps his master to retrieve the eagle.
The two flee south, with the Seal People in hot pursuit. Aquila, slowed by his old battle wound, orders Esca to bring the the eagle back to Roman territory and even grants the reluctant slave his freedom. Freed, Esca still refuses to abandon his friend and instead heads out to look for help and returns with the survivors of the Ninth legion just as the Seal People catch up with them. The legionaries, wishing to redeem themselves, accept Aquila as their commander and manage to fight off the Seal People's attack. After burying the fallen legionaries - including Guern - Aquila, Esca and the few survivors of the Ninth return to Roman territory, where Aquila delivers the eagle to the astonished commander of the Roman legions. As there's talk of the Ninth legion being reformed, with Aquila as its commander, Aquila and Esca wonder what they will do next, with Aquila leaving the decision to his former slave.
Cast
- Channing Tatum as Marcus Flavius Aquila
- Jamie Bell as Esca
- Donald Sutherland as Aquila's uncle
- Mark Strong as Guern
- Tahar Rahim as Liathan, Prince of the Seal People
- Ned Dennehy as Chief of the Seal People
Production
Principal photography began on August 24, 2009 in Hungary,[4][5] which doubles for England. In October, production moved to Scotland, where filming took place in Wester Ross and at Loch Lomond, among other locations.[3] The film was made for around £15 million[3] by producer Duncan Kenworthy's Toledo Productions for co-financiers Focus Features and Film4. Kevin Macdonald directed from a script by Jeremy Brock, who adapted the 1954 historical adventure novel of the same name by Rosemary Sutcliff. The director of photography was Anthony Dod Mantle, production design was by Michael Carlin, the costume design was by Michael O'Connor, and Justine Wright edited the film—her fifth for Macdonald.[4] At the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in May 2009, The Eagle of the Ninth secured distribution deals "for every global market".[3]
Macdonald intended the film to be historically authentic, but as little is certain about the tribes that the Romans encountered—they were probably Celts, but some may have been Picts—he has made concessions. For example, the tribespeople spoke Gaelic, even though the language probably did not enter widespread use in the region until the 5th century AD;[6] Pictish is the more likely language to have been spoken at the time.[3] "It's the best we can do," Macdonald said. "All you can do is build on a few clues and trust your own instincts. That way, no one can tell you you were wrong."[6] Only 1% of Scots speak Gaelic, limiting the talent pool to just 60,000 people. By August 2009, several Gaelic-speaking boys had auditioned for the role of a boy of the Seal people, aged nine to twelve, but without success[3], so Macdonald held open auditions in Glasgow for the role[3], which was eventually given nine-year-old Thomas Henry from Newbarnsley, Belfast, who had been educated in Irish Gaelic.
Macdonald described his view of the Seal people:[6]
They were a more indigenous folk than the Celts, who were from farther south ... They were probably small and dark, like the Inouit [sic], living off seals and dressed in sealskins. We are going to create a culture about which no one knows much, but which we will make as convincing as possible. We are basing it on clues gained from places like Skara Brae and the Tomb of the Eagles in Orkney, so that we will have them worshipping pagan symbols, like the seal and the eagle.
The reason they have seized the emblem of the Roman eagle from the legion is because to them it [was] a sacred symbol.[6]
Achiltibuie
Achiltibuie, a village in northwest Scotland, was used as a filming location for the "Seal People". Filming started in Achiltibuie on October 7, 2009, and finished on October 15, 2009. The main location was Fox Point, Old Dornie. The Pictish village which was constructed at Fox Point was used on most days of the filming. Other sites included Achnahaird beach, where a horse chase was filmed, and Loch Lurgainn. Macdonald intended to use locals as extras. This was a success with many locals appearing as extras after going to castings in nearby Ullapool. Their roles included "Seal Warriors", "Seal Princesses" and "Elders".
Theme
The clash of cultures between the Romans and the tribes is the main theme of the film, as Marcus Aquila "comes to realise that his imperial view of the world has to be reconciled with the beliefs and traditions of other people".[citation needed] The Romans are played by Americans "to achieve a little contemporary symbolism",[6] with Bell using his native Sunderland Mackem accent, and Scots Gaelic standing in for Pictish.[7] Similar to Dances with Wolves in how it portrays its tribes with dignity and grace, amongst the eventually taking over of their way of life (by the Romans in this case). According to Channing Tatum, actors trained 4-5 hours a day for each role.[8]
Reception
The film was released on February 11, 2011, in the United States. It grossed $8,684,464 during its opening weekend, which ranked fourth among all films.[9] As of February 20, it has grossed an estimated $15,041,000.[2]
The Eagle received mixed reviews from critics; it has a 36% rating by 'all critics' consensus, but a 60% rating by the 'top critics' consensus on Rotten Tomatoes.[10] Roger Ebert gave The Eagle three stars out of four saying that "it evokes the energy of traditional sword-and-shield movies" and praising its realistic battle scenes and limited use of CGI.[11]
See also
- 2011 in film
- Battle of the Teutoburg Forest where a Roman eagle standard was lost in battle
- Centurion, a 2010 film that centered around the massacre of the ninth legion
- The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
- List of films set in ancient Rome
- List of historical drama films
- Museum of Reading, the museum that houses the original Roman bronze Silchester Eagle that was immortalized by Rosemary Sutcliff in The Eagle of the Ninth
References
- ^ Fritz, Ben (February 10, 2011). "Movie Projector: Sandler battles Bieber for top of the box office". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ a b "The Eagle (2011)". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g Brian Pendreigh (2 August 2009). "Hollywood searches for Gaelic child star". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ a b Staff (August 24, 2009). "The Eagle of the Ninth Starts Principal Photography". ComingSoon. CraveOnline. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
- ^ Stuart Kemp (August 25, 2009). "'Eagle of the Ninth' adds cast". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 26, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ a b c d e Magnus Linklater (August 3, 2009). "Kevin Macdonald will bring to film pre-Celtic clash of the cultures". The Times. London. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
- ^ Higgins, Charlotte (23 April 2010). "Centurion kicks off British sword and sandals film wave". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Board, Josh (15 February 2011). "MOVIE REVIEW: The Eagle, with Interview". SanDiego.com. San Diego.
- ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for February 11-13, 2011". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
- ^ "The Eagle (2011)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ The Eagle, BY ROGER EBERT / February 9, 2011
