In 140 AD, twenty years after the unexplained disappearance of the entire Ninth Legion in the mountains of Scotland, young centurion Marcus Aquila arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father, the commander of the Ninth. Accompanied only by his British slave Esca, Marcus sets out across Hadrian's Wall into the uncharted highlands of Caledonia - to confront its savage tribes, make peace with his father's memory, and retrieve the lost legion's golden emblem, the Eagle of the Ninth.
Cinematography
Scottish Highlands look absolutely miserable and gorgeous.
Practical Effects
They actually built that scale—no CGI mud here.
Acting
Jamie Bell out-acts everyone while wearing chains.
Director
Kevin Macdonald
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Ninth Legion's disappearance is a real historical mystery—no bodies, no records, just gone. Historians still argue if it happened in Britain at all.
Rosemary Sutcliff's 1954 novel was beloved in Britain; American audiences mostly wondered why Channing Tatum had that accent.
US
GB
