Movie Review: "The Eagle"

Seen on: February 11, 2011

The players: Director: Kevin Macdonald, Writer: Jeremy Brock, Cast: Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Mark Strong, Donal Sutherland

Facts of interest: Formerly titled "The Eagle of the Ninth." The film is based on the novel by Rosemary Sutcliff.

The plot: A young Roman soldier (Tatum) heads to Britain to retrieve the emblem of a missing legion.

Our thoughts: Channing Tatum goes all Roman on us in Kevin Macdonald’s “The Eagle,” a decent action adventure that follows an ambitious solider on his quest to restore his family’s damaged honor. “The Eagle” isn’t exactly Oscar material, but the film’s fast-paced battles, stunning locations and satisfying cast successfully turn it into a gritty, entertaining big-screen spectacle you can’t help but enjoy.

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Oh no! Ridley Scott makes a YouTube movie?

We won't be seeing a fiction piece about how YouTube came to being anytime soon, but Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald are teaming up to create a YouTube documentary about people posting videos.

The movie, titled "Life in a Day," will include clips and videos people load to YouTube July 24, 2010. This could obviously be a cool project and all, but it depends on what footage makes it into the flick.

To tell you the truth though, I have some faith in Macdonald. I just hope he won't fall for most of the YouTube crap and pick those monotonous clips of cats sitting on toilets and kids biting each other.

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Channing Tatum in 'Eagle of the Ninth' images

Kevin Macdonald's action adventure "Eagle of the Ninth" hits theaters in 2010, and the first official stills from the movie have hit the Web via Yahoo!Movies. Check out two stills above and right after the jump.

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.

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 andmake peace with his father's memory.

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Daily news dose: Apparition picks up 'Black Dynamite;' Cast updates for 'Eagle of the Ninth'

Here is your dose of film news from the Web and trades for Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009:

• Distribution house Apparition has aquired rights to bring "Black Dynamite" to theaters this fall. Scott Sanders' blaxploitation spoof screened at Sundance earlier this year. Apparition also recently acquired distribution rights to "Bright Star," "The Tree of Life" and "The Young Victoria." (More @Variety)

• Jet Li will return to China for the upcoming Xue Xiao-lu-directed Chinese flick "Ocean Paradise." At this stage, details about the project are kept under wraps. Li, who recently starred in "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," will soon be seen in Sylvester Stallone's "The Expendables."

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Daily news dose: Two more join 'Iron Man 2;' Kevin Macdonald to direct 'Eternity'

Here's your dose of film news for April 23, 2009:

• Kate Mara ("Shooter") and Clark Gregg ("Spartan") are the latest to join Jon Favreau's upcoming sequel "Iron Man 2," which is currently shooting. Gregg will return to reprise his role as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Agent Phil Coulson. No details have been released regarding Mara's role. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Kevin Macdonald, who last directed the intriguing thriller "State of Play," is set to direct "The End of Eternity" for New Regency. According to Variety, the film is based on the 1955 Isaac Asimov novel. According to the trade, "Futuristic tale concerns a ruling class called Eternity whose members can manipulate time and alter history." Macdonald also directed "The Last King of Scotland."

• Mark Mylod ("Ali G Indahouse") will direct "What's Your Number?," a comedy starring Anna Faris. The film was previously titled "20 Times a Lady," and the plot follows a woman who revisits her sexual past and explores whether the number of men she slept with will somehow have an effect on her quest to find Mr. Right. (THR)

• The folks at Bloody-Disgusting report that Rooney Mara ("Youth in Revolt") is in talks to star in New Line Cinema's "A Nightmare on Elm Street" reboot. Jackie Earle Haley and Kyle Gallner are also on board.

'State of Play' web reviews

Kevin Macdonald returns with "State of Play," a thriller about a reporter who embarks on his own investigation into the murder of a congressman's assistant. Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray and Matthew Michael Carnahan worked on the script, and Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams star. Here's what the Web critics think:

• Brad Brevet at RopeOfSilicon: "When State of Play is good, it's really good, but there are those moments where you can tell they are trying to fit six hours of an acclaimed miniseries into a 127 minute thriller."

• LatinoReview's Ron Henriques: "The film not only works as a thriller, but is one of the best pictures in years to realistically look at the inner workings of a newspaper and the various elements and individuals that make it work."

• Joblo's Chris Cumbray: "Still, with a better ending, this could have been one of the best of the year, and it’s a shame that now, it’s simply going to be remembered as a decent thriller, but nothing more."

• CinemaBlend's Katey Rich: "As much fun as it is to watch the hunt, though, State of Play stumbles with the conspiracy it eventually unravels, which involves corporate intrigue and government corruption rotely familiar from dozens of other thrillers stretching back decades."

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Kevin Macdonald catches 'Eagle of the Ninth'

Filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, whose crime thriller "State of Play" is set to open April 17, 2009, is set to direct "The Eagle of the Ninth" for Focus Features.

Variety says the story is set in the 2nd century and follows a wounded Roman solider and his Celtic slave who investigate the mysterious disappearance of a brigade of Roman soldiers 15 years earlier.

Jamie Bell is on-board to play the slave, while Channing Tatum is apparently in talks for the lead role. Jeremy Brock, who also penned Macdonald's "The Last King of Scotland," wrote the script.

Macdonald also directed the intriguing documentary "Touching the Void." His "State of Play" featues a top-notch cast including Russell Crow, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams and Helen Mirren.

Watch Russell Crowe in the 'State of Play' trailer

Kevin Macdonald's next movie is a thriller titled "State of Play," and you can check out the first trailer for the flick right after the jump.

Based on the British television series, the film kicks off with the mysterious murder of a popular U.S. Congressman's research assistant.

That's where Cal McCaffrey comes in, a determined reporter who launches his own murder investigation and quickly uncovers dark secrets that could threaten the nation's power structures.

Check out this impressive cast: Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, Helen Mirren, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis and Robin Wright Penn.

Macdonald also directed the great "Touching the Void" and even greater "The Last King of Scotland." Judging by the trailer, "State of Play" looks quite interesting. At least for now. The film opens April 17, 2009.

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