The Last Legion (2007)

As the Roman empire crumbles, young Romulus Augustus flees the city and embarks on a perilous voyage to Britain to track down a legion of supporters.

Director:

Doug Lefler

Writers:

Jez Butterworth (screenplay), Tom Butterworth (screenplay),

Stars:

Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colin Firth	...	Aurelius
Ben Kingsley	...	Ambrosinus / Merlin
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan	...	Mira (as Aishwarya Rai)
Peter Mullan	...	Odoacer
Kevin McKidd	...	Wulfila
John Hannah	...	Nestor
Iain Glen	...	Orestes
Thomas Brodie-Sangster	...	Romulus Augustus (as Thomas Sangster)
Rupert Friend	...	Demetrius
Nonso Anozie	...	Batiatus
Owen Teale	...	Vatrenus
Alexander Siddig	...	Theodorus Andronikos
Robert Pugh	...	Kustennin
James Cosmo	...	Hrothgar
Harry Van Gorkum	...	Vortgyn

Storyline

Circa 460 A.D. Mira was born in a warrior-family in Kerala, India, was well versed in martial arts and self-defense, so much so that she was recruited by the Spanish royalty and re-located to Constantinople. From there she was instructed to assist Roman Commander Aurelius to plan the escape of 12-year old Romulus Augustus Caesar from a prison in Capri after his parents had been killed by the leader of the Alliance in turmoil-stricken Rome that has seen the deaths of five emperors in five years. Mira, Aurelius, and a Priest, Ambrosinius, along with a handful of loyal soldiers were successful in the escape plan and deliver Romulus to Roman Senator Nestor. What the crew do not realize is that their task is not over yet, for Nestor is all set to betray Romulus, leaving them with no alternative but to flee to Britannia, where they will be forced to confront a seemingly invincible Vortygn, whose main aim is to obtain a powerful sword that was meant for defense and defeat, and also ensure ...

---

Plot Keywords:

soldier | capri | boy | sword | emperor | 

---

Taglines:

Before King Arthur, there was Excalibur.

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | War

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [de]

Country:

UK Italy France Tunisia

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Última Legião

Filming Locations:

Cerveny Castle, Pezinok, Slovakia

Box Office

Budget:

$67,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£125,540 (UK) (19 October 2007)

Gross:

£335,838 (UK) (26 October 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company, Quinta Communications, Ingenious Film Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shots were removed from the U.S. version of the film so it would receive a family (PG-13) rating. (At 24:14, a shot of the crow flying down, picking up Wulfila's finger, and flying out of the room, as well as a shot at 42:06 of Wulfila's face hitting an axe blade, among other shots.)

---

Goofs

As they are climbing over the mountain pass, Romulus is riding on the back of Batiatus wearing a pair of very modern climbing boots.

---

Quotes

Odoacer: [draws his sword] What do you say, boy? Should I be afraid of you?
Romulus Augustus: Why is Caesar treated so?
Odoacer: "Why is Caesar treated so?"
[Odoacer seizes Romulus by the hair and holds up the sword so that his face is reflected in it]
Odoacer: Perhaps Wulfila's right. Perhaps I should end this here, right now. Can you see yourself? Can you see your face? What do you see? You see a boy... or do you see a Caesar?
Romulus Augustus: I see...
Odoacer: Tell me.
Romulus Augustus: I see a Caesar. I *am* Caesar.
[pause]
Odoacer: Wrong answer.

---

Connections

References Love Actually (2003)

User Reviews

Not a bad take on the origins of Authurian Legend...

Somehow I missed the trailers and promotion of this film. Normally I see most movies like this right away, but I didn't get to see this one until just yesterday.

If you are going in looking for a historically accurate film then you are waisting your time with ANY Hollywood movie. But this one doesn't have anything that ruined my suspension of belief at all. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a movie misses something obvious (Like Romans using stirrups on their horses, yes I am looking at you Gladiator!) but this movie didn't have one of those.

The fighting styles that they gave the characters, while flashed up for filming, were believable for the cultures that they came from (A Roman Cataract using Japanese sword techniques! Come on King Arthur!) and while I wouldn't rank the fight scenes anywhere near anything done by Wu Ping, they again don't take away from the story.

Now the story its self is where I have some problems. They seemed to rush it most of the way. I almost wish that they had made it a mini-series on TV just so they could have told the whole thing. I think that there is some missing story that I would like to hear, like the origins of the villain and where he got his scars and what not.

Anyway, just don't go into it with any expectations and I think that you will enjoy yourself for an hour and a half.