Rome dies another needless death

Published on November 1, 2007

CASTING EXCUSES: Aishwariya Rai and Colin Firth caught in a feisty moment in ‘The Last Legion’.

Cast: Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwariya Rai, Peter Mullen

Director: Doug Lefler

Running time: 110 minutes

Hanuman rating: HHHH

Hollywood should give silly, pseudo-historic Arthurian stories a rest. Honestly, it's almost embarrassing after the atrocious "King Arthur" made a fiasco of the facts with Clive Owen as the "real Arthur".

Now we have "The Last Legion", in which a boy king flees to Britain after Rome falls, pursued by barbarian hordes.

But if reality is what you want, read any of the many books on the subject. The producers of "Legion" are only interested in making money - the film is an excuse to cast Bollywood star Aishwariya Rai in a feisty role.

"Legion" provides plenty of battles and lavish sets, costumes and fine actors, such as Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley. For pure escapism, this is not a bad production.

Firth is one of Hanuman's favourite actors, especially for his haunting portrayal of a cuckold husband in "The English Patient" and his always touching performances as Bridget Jones' lover in those two films.

His leading role in "Legion", as the heroic warrior, is the only reason Hanuman bothered to see it.

When Ridley Scott made "Gladiator" he was careful not to stray too far from what were considered factual events. Even "300" was sensitive about the facts and figures concerning Sparta.

But "Legion" has much less understanding of the fall of the Roman Empire. The barbarians alone didn't destroy Rome. Rot and corruption seeped in during decades of hedonistic living, misrule and corrupt government - factors with which Bangkokians are quite familiar.

Be warned that Major complex in Bang Na offers only two "Legion" screenings a day. If you want to see the film, find a place where the schedule is less irritating.

Cinemas should bring back fixed-time screenings. The current flexibility is driving many patrons crazy. Inconvenient show times are the biggest single complaint Hanuman hears from moviegoers.

For better viewing value, two other movies still playing are "The Kingdom" and "Stardust". These six-star films are poised for Oscar nominations. See them and find out why.