As a dedicated fan of all cinematic renditions of the ancient world, this was a must on my calender. Overall it was a fairly enjoyable, if far-fetched, adventure in Roman-occupied Britain.
However...
Am I alone (and I mean this in the most respectable way) in being more than annoyed at a film that has enjoyed a generous budget, yet still fell short of instructing the various actors in how to maintain a convincing accent. However anal as this must seem, at no point in the Roman military's existance did a soldier have an American accent. This is a recurring trend, in that the set and wardrobe is convincing, the plot is generally loyal to actual events, but the whole venture is mired by half the cast opening their mouths. I mean, it's comparable to to having an actor in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon saying, 'Cor blimey, guv'ner. That sword's a bit sharp, ain't it?' Or, 'Oi, Xing, put the fackin' kettle on, darlin', etc, etc.
Now, I know that it's hardly going to attract much of an audience if the whole thing's in Latin, but I'm sure anyone who's watched HBO's Rome will agree that an English-speaking production depicting Roman society would lend itself more legitimacy by casting actors and actresses with English accents. Channing Tatum was the exception in that he pulled-off a reasonable accent, even if it was mid-Atlantic. Other than that it was OK. And the scene when they defended the fort against a Celtic attack and in doing so rescued some of their captured comrades was very good. I'm just a bit peeved at the legionaries from Brooklyn. As the Romans would say, it was most infra dig.
However...
Am I alone (and I mean this in the most respectable way) in being more than annoyed at a film that has enjoyed a generous budget, yet still fell short of instructing the various actors in how to maintain a convincing accent. However anal as this must seem, at no point in the Roman military's existance did a soldier have an American accent. This is a recurring trend, in that the set and wardrobe is convincing, the plot is generally loyal to actual events, but the whole venture is mired by half the cast opening their mouths. I mean, it's comparable to to having an actor in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon saying, 'Cor blimey, guv'ner. That sword's a bit sharp, ain't it?' Or, 'Oi, Xing, put the fackin' kettle on, darlin', etc, etc.
Now, I know that it's hardly going to attract much of an audience if the whole thing's in Latin, but I'm sure anyone who's watched HBO's Rome will agree that an English-speaking production depicting Roman society would lend itself more legitimacy by casting actors and actresses with English accents. Channing Tatum was the exception in that he pulled-off a reasonable accent, even if it was mid-Atlantic. Other than that it was OK. And the scene when they defended the fort against a Celtic attack and in doing so rescued some of their captured comrades was very good. I'm just a bit peeved at the legionaries from Brooklyn. As the Romans would say, it was most infra dig.
