Movie Review: The Last Legion – Starring Colin Firth, Aishwarya Rai & Ben Kingsley

Movie: The Last Legion (PG-13)
Released: August 17th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.
Ticket Price: $7.50 Matinee
Refreshments: Large Popcorn, Small Drink & Butterfinger Minis
Starring: Colin Firth, Aishwarya Rai & Ben Kingsley
Director: Doug Lefler

Rating: Check it Out When it Hits the Likes of HBO or Showtime –

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Romulus Augustus is the last emperor of Rome and after its fall is now a prisoner on the island of Capri. A wise teacher, Ambrosinus, and his legionnaire, Aurelius, help him to escape from Capri. After doing so, he and his men head to Britannia in search of the fabled Dragon Legion and what is now known as the beginning of the Arthurian legend.

Review: The Last Legion, based in part on Valerio Massimo Manfredi’s book, was less than stellar. Actually, it reminded me of, the truly terrible movie, BloodRayne in some respects. While not as bad as that one is, they both had an abundance of good or recognizable actors in the main roles, they were both were full of dreadfully delivered dialogue and they both starred Ben Kingsley (You Kill Me, Suspect Zero).

The premise is a good one. A tale of love, loss, epic journeys, rescues and sword wielding battle scenes set in 460 A.D. that becomes the beginnings of the Arthurian legend. The main problem is they couldn’t seem to choose between big epic drama and being, well, corny. Mostly, as long as they weren’t talking, it was an okay adventure movie.

Yet, what struck me is that this movie has a heart and makes an emotional connection with the audience during a few scenes, which the epic 300 did not, at least for this movie reviewer. It was odd, given how bad most of the dialogue was. But, when you compare the two movies, The Last Legion just doesn’t hold up, at all.

Another plus was Aishwarya Rai (Bride and Prejudice), the Bollywood star. She is very good and kicks some serious ass in a couple of well-choreographed fight scenes. She and these scenes are the best the movie has to offer.

Overall, you should check it out when it hits the likes of HBO or Showtime. If you are already paying for one of the premium cable movie channels, then you should wait until it premieres there. No need to waste your dollars at the theater, as not very many were at the showing I went to. There were a total of four other people who sat in one of the theater’s smaller auditoriums to watch The Last Legion in the last matinee showing of the day.