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SOARING EAGLE DOES ROME PROUD THE EAGLE (PG-13) The mysterious disappear ance of Rome's Ninth Legion, lost somewhere in the wilds of Britain around A.D. 117, continues to inspire storytellers and film makers. Last year, Neil Marshall (The Descent, Doomsday) released the not bad but definitely disappointing Centurion, starring Michael Fassbender as the leader of a small group of Ninth Legion survivors desperately trying to reach Roman-occupied territory while being doggedly hunted by Pictish warriors led by the badass Etain (Olga Kurylenko). Fortunately, The Eagle, from Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September), does not let down or underwhelm. Roman centurion Marcus Flavius Aquila (Alabama native Channing Tatum, who makes a better Roman than one might initially believe) ventures into the unknown, past Hadrian's wall, to recapture the gold standard lost with his father and the Ninth. Marcus is accompanied by his slave, Esca (Jamie Bell, the all-growed-up Billy Elliot), who may not be as loyal as Marcus thinks. Will this ancient dynamic duo finish their quest without killing one another? Macdonald and screenwriter Jeremy Brock effectively update author Rosemary Sutcliffe's 1954 historical adventure novel, The Eagle of the Ninth, though the film is less action and a little more con templation than one might expect, especially considering how little the filmmakers actually comment on the morality of Roman occupation. Tatum and Bell replicate the slightly homoerotic, distinctly British class dynamic of captain and soldier or Frodo and Samwise. They share a dis tinctive chemistry as their relation ship is not one of equals, though the real power—knowledge of the foreign people, language and lands of north ern Britain—belongs to the lower ranked man. Exciting, if a bit baffling in its dramatic progression, The Eagle carries the standard for the old-fashioned Sword-and-Sandal with less epicness and more adventure. The proudly plebeian film stands out among its patrician competitors of star-studded winter romcoms, low-rent genre flicks and teen sensations. Drew Wheeler FAGLE * FLICK9KINNT 11 mt Cii«t n.<cK«iNm.coM A JiscW^fiA ftowan UV-he/D snertte i-\to H».a, (SfatHOill o? Bfitania io aui HillMtts People Wm, not-Mine) lUod Uive-lbei/e 'ffecove-r Rotes losf £dq|e.. In beVuieefl Six orStUem M flaps, I SorteseAlW" 'fte -toSt-U&S U*\a iKcWoS arA. VUwl-lpoqqlin ■te Op £ote. fesfe oo'The- Ce.C4pVo(e of- <k ofl a Shoe \s Wf-t-as as '& is fveposteifous OK yeali it- H Li-p 6/1 Ut mi yoo w /ai (K S'JcV.tc for a, sword I aoprtca Jq» 1 I flick ik+j' In oi/mj <\ «o<i?r/i cht/’ici* r fo v7$ CoAnforfvhlz ($€£’• of Vtcy Aice look at,„ as our ntvt. fasttcr Aorf^ b|i/& fvice.-pc\'i/rl’ Q>r<\ Ig/i<I I sf’GrM f° Sospeci -fU ivcrt y \Aje I k. ^f^TTy ji/54- [O C<\f i°A 54- OL/ fs... <\/\\ po5S»^y Jl'itec {or. Of ( |CoA'QoS ft/'C. M I , . ' fAMII Y IBY Cl AY" Hand-Building Wnrkshnu EVERY SUNDAY 2-4um - Fun For All Ages! WWW. AM ERICANCLASS ICTATTOO.N ET 1 035a Baxter St. ^ 706-543-7628 J AMPLE PARKING AVAILABLE 10% OFF Tattoo or Body Piercing OFF any one item at regular price One coupon per customer per day. Offer» not valid with any other coupon, discount or previous purchase. Valid only February 16 - February 23. 2011. OSCAR NOMINEE: BEST PICTURE V THE FIGHTER E OSCAR JU NOMINATED l SHORT FILMS <£' | 5 ft ». l!fw>=. f mm WWW WW~ •innrn i imk •vidCu i- i ii n l 7Q6-543-22B8 • (Call to Reserve Movies) I I Isl \S L. I II I J •1 mile south of 5 Points on Milledge NEW POP STUFF Garden of Eden Get Low Middle Men Unstoppable NEW COOL STUFF □ rive-ln Cult Classics I Am Love Spartacus (Season 1) WINTER SALE; BLU-PAY • OVD • RECORDS • TV SHOWS offering: Carolina Crabcakes • Georgia Pork BBQ Florida Key Lime Pie • Charleston Shrimp Sc Grits Tuesday, February' 22 Wine jbuuie/i uutU SltiAOfy Call for Reservations and details Saturday & Sunday • nam-3pm Gliattvpxuf+tz Rnunch *2 Mimosas • *3 Bloody Marys *6 l.g Phicklc Bloody Marys Sundays - All Day LflWCflUNTffy BAIL Open at 4pm Mon-Fri Open at 11am Sat & Sun - By the Loop - 2095 S. Milledge Ave. 706-548-3359 f 706-353-0500 163 n. jacKson sb athens. ga FEBRUARY 16, 2011 • FLAGPOLE.COM 13
