Roman BromanticBy John DeSando, WCBE's "It's Movie Time," "Cinema Classics," and "On the Marquee"
In 140 A.D., how could there be "bromance" without Seth Rogen or Steve Carell? Well, Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell do the honors, albeit without the dry humor, as Roman centurion Marcus Aquila and his slave, Esca, respectively. They are traveling north of Hadrian's Wall to find the gold eagle emblem lost by Marcus's dad along with 5000 Roman soldiers 20 years ago.
That wall is on my bucket list, but if the blue Seal people who did in Marcus's dad are still there, I'll wait until the next life.
The fort, costumes, haircuts, and devotion to honor all seem authentic; it's just that Channing is cute but not charismatic, and Donald Sutherland as his uncle is not on screen long enough to negate the tedium.
Marcus's relationship with Esca borders on the bromantic as their devotion to each other carries a little longing to make up for the lack of logic.
If the dialogue were more inspired and the story less formulaic, Eagle might have been a memorable adventure and historic bookmark. As it is, it is just a very long journey into a barren Britain that makes me long for London after the first half hour.
John DeSando co-hosts WCBE 90.5's It's Movie Time, Cinema Classics, and On the Marquee, which can be heard streaming at http://publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/ppr/index.shtml and on demand at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/arts.artsmain Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.RR.com