(REVIEW) The Eagle: Generic, but Enjoyable

Capitalizing on the recent resurgence of sword-and-sandal dramas like Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald puts forth The Eagle, the genre's latest entry.  Though the film gets off to a rocky start, about twenty minutes in the plot picks up enough momentum to make The Eagle an entertaining but far-too-predictable adventure.

 The movie begins with centurion Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) taking command of a backwater outpost near the northern reaches of Roman-controlled Britain.  At first it's jarring to hear so many American accents among the warriors, the most guilty culprits being Tatum and his character's right-hand man, Lutorious (Denis O'Hare).  Additionally, many of the actors look a little too well-groomed to be gritty soldiers posted at a neglected outpost.  Luckily these minor annoyances mostly fade away as the movie goes on.

Soon after Marcus' arrival the local tribes of northern Britain attack the outpost, leaving Marcus injured and relieved of his duty.  In order to regain the honor of his family's name, Marcus resolves to go deep into enemy territory to recover the symbol of his legion, the Eagle of the Ninth, which was lost by his father in a battle many years before.  Traveling with him is British slave Esca (Jamie Bell), who has sworn an oath to protect Marcus and guide him through the wild lands of Caledonia.

Tatum has the screen presence to pull off leading-man roles, though the inevitable daunting comparisons to Russell Crow and Gladiator may belabor his critical reception.  Bell gives a surprisingly dynamic role as Esca.  Watching the pair react to the constantly-changing attitudes and situations of their characters is one of the film's most compelling aspects.  This chemistry between Tatum and Bell, as well as a strong supporting role played by Donald Sutherland,  helps give a little meat to the bare-bones plot.

Sadly, like all-too-many modern action movies, the action sequences are filmed in a shaky-cam style with plenty of extreme closeups.  Most of the battle sequences bleed together because of this, with little to distinguish one from another.  The action simply moves past the camera too fast to adequately communicate what is going on.  One notable exception is a scene toward the beginning of the film where Marcus and his soldiers deploy a phalanx maneuver in a rescue mission.  The bodies of the native tribes crash against the Roman shields haphazardly, and for a few moments the scene seems to strip away the romanticized depictions of battle moviegoers are used to and evoking the confusion and chaos of real conflict.

As for Marcus and Esca's journey to recover to recover the Eagle of the Ninth, there are very few surprises in store.  Their bond is tested, strained, and ultimately reconciled.  It is a tale about the shades of gray that all cultures fall into; no group of people is wholly good or evil.  Strangely, the concept of honor in battle is portrayed as both wasteful and something to aspire toward; the film's message becomes a little confused by the end.

All in all, there is nothing inherently flawed about The Eagle; it is simply too formulaic to be outstanding.  If you're a fan of the genre, check out the film.  Otherwise, pass on it for now-- it may make a good DVD rental in a couple of months.