Help from heroes
THE EAGLE
Director: Kevin MacDonald
Cert. 12A
Running time: 105 minutes approx.
Based on Rosemary Sutcliff’s 1954 children’s book The Eagle of the Ninth, this all-action saga of Roman Britain has a little more to it than just being a ripping yarn for lads.
20 years previously, the Ninth Legion had gone north into Scotland never to be seen again. They were led by the father of Marcus Flavius Aquila, the central character of the plot, into the mists of oblivion. The bronze eagle, the legion’s standard was lost. Honour shot to pieces, we enter the tale of how Marcus seeks to recover the eagle and restore his family’s name.
After distinguishing himself in the defence of a Roman fort, his first charge, the young centurion sets out with his Brigantian slave Esca (Jack Bell) into the wilds beyond Hadrian’s Wall on an adventure in the classic style — no kissing or female interest, but lots of cut and thrust, pain and blood, with a scary chase and a final showdown.
In every man, somewhere, there is still a 12-year-old boy seeking to get out to whom this will appeal.
Current comment
Themes which run through the story include endurance and bravery, loyalty and growing in understanding of others, the cruelty of war, the price of freedom, the comradeship of soldiers and the slipperiness of politicians. Perhaps the latter is a comment on some current conflicts. In a postmodern world which produces hardly any truly heroic role models for boys (of all ages), this is an attempt by Hollywood to manufacture something.
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