With Rome invaded by outsiders and his parents brutally murdered, Romulus is captured by the enemy. However, his loyal escort frees him from imprisonment and their status quo demands that they flee to the last civilized haven: Britannia, where the Ninth Legion of Rome mysteriously disappeared. Counting on the only visible sign of Roman authority left in the fallen Roman Empire conquered by barbarians, Romulus faces more danger when encountered by an unforeseeable evil that threatens the peaceful existence of all Britannia and his destiny as future king. The numerous characters in this more complex plot are diverse, such as Aishwarya Rai as a talented female warrior or the elegant Colin Firth in his first gritty role as an honorable and loyal Roman general. The familiar character of Merlin is transformed from a sorcerer into Ambrosinus, who is merely a wise scholar, Romulus’ tutor, and a devoted protector of Excalibur. The history of Britain receives more flashbacks in intense battle scenes and unexpected twists on the original King Arthur stories. The viewer will never guess who the ancestor of Arthur is in the movie until the ending, and it’s quite a surprise, but one must not forget that this movie was based in part on an Italian novel. A mixture of Roman and early British history that involves an Arthurian “prequel” to the nature of Arthurian legends, The Last Legion is not dull or unoriginal. It can hardly be called a successor of Gladiator, for Firth does not command the screen in the same way as Crowe did and the action scenes are not as eye-catching. Nevertheless, this Roman film still has a thrilling score as well as memorable sparks of action, romance, and true valor.
The Last Legion is available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc wherever movies are sold in Fresno and online; it also can be rented for free from local libraries.
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