Very pleasantly surprised

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2011)

Let me start off by saying that the last period piece I saw before this movie (both of them on movie channels) was "Valhalla Rising" and I was nearly sickened by the experience. So I was a little apprehensive going into "Centurion". Thankfully, it gave me a very enjoyable watch.
Plot, I have to say, was not the most original thing; it wasn't that weak, either. After two very bad defeats at the hands of the Picts, a Roman officer and his small band of survivors have to survive in the wilderness of Britain as they evade a band of Pict trackers--on orders from their king to avenge the death of his son at Roman hands. The Picts hound the Romans over much of the isle of Britain, it seems, and are never far away, always finding them again and again, each time taking more Roman lives. The Roman party are sheltered by a local woman--an outcast from Pict culture, therefore leaving her with little loyalty to anybody; their mutual kindness and understanding of each other's situations makes room for some feelings to develop--no sex or anything, sorry boys. After a final confrontation with the Picts, the last 3 arrive at a new garrison the legion has established--the beginning stages of Hadrian's wall. One of the men is killed by garrison guards who thought he was a Pict; the other is killed in a fight with the centurion because it was he who killed the Pict king's son. After the centurion gives his report, he has to evade his own people who try to kill him in order to save face. So, being wounded, he returns to the British woman who gave him shelter earlier.
Acting was really good the whole way through. The film doesn't allow for a whole lot of character development, but all of the characters are believable and well portrayed. Most surprising is the Pict lead tracker: a mute woman with a spear and a heart like a flaming tar pit. It has been a while since a woman was so scary on screen--and we thank her for it!
Effects were well done, but not overdone. Some of the blood was done with CGI--mainly in the battle scenes, not so much with the small group fights; when they do physical blood effects, it gets pretty gory in a couple of places. Gorgeous cinematography and landscaping--you really feel sorry for the Romans traipsing about Britain in winter without furs to wear!
All in all, a very good watch. I highly recommend it for anybody who is a fan of action and period pieces. It likely is historically inaccurate on a number of points, but that's OK; if you're a stickler, feel free to take notes. But definitely a good piece of work. Watch and enjoy!