Solid period-piece action movie!!

Rating: 8/10 (27 November 2010)

The romance didn't start until the last third of the movie. But, it was much better than I had expected given the IMDb rating. The costumes and atmosphere had a very authentic feel - at least as far as the 21st century rendition goes. Much of the movie setting felt like the beginning of Gladiator in Germania. Although I think the bad-a$$ femme fatal role is an overrated character part, our feminist-indoctrinated society seems to love it. Olga Kurylenko plays the baggage-laden she-wolf pretty well anyway - and at least she doesn't talk. The romantic interest, in my view, did a much better job at developing a feminine role that real men could appreciate, even so late in the movie. I honestly wasn't expecting that, but I was glad she did finally come to the rescue, because she saved the movie from being a straight action no plot flop. On the whole, it turned out to be a pretty good movie.