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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This week's new movie releases - Feb. 11, 2010

Four major films will open in North America this weekend, but at first sight, things don't really look that good in terms of cinematic quality, and I'm not only referring to that "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" concert documentary. Beware, because Adam Sandler is back on the big screen Friday as well. Let's take a closer look at what's on the menu.

THE EAGLE: Formerly titled "The Eagle of the Ninth," "The Eagle" stars Channing Tatum as young centurion Marcus Aquila, who arrives from Rome to solve the mystery and restore the reputation of his father in the mountains of Scotland. Co-starring are Jamie Bell and Mark Strong, and "The Eagle" gets a 6 out of 10 on my excitement meter.

JUST GO WITH IT: That's the Adam Sandler movie I mentioned above. It also stars Jennifer Aniston and Brooklyn Decker, and no, it doesn't exactly look like first-class comedy material. Dennis Dugan ("Grown Ups") is directing a script by Allan Loeb, and the film follows dude who pretends he's in a terrible marriage in order to win over chicks.

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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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Focus Features announces 2010 slate

Focus Features CEO James Schamus recently announced the studio's release slate for 2010, and right now, he confirmed the releases of six new films, including "Greenberg," "Babies" and "Somewhere."

“Next year’s Focus slate follows one of the company’s best years ever – our eighth profitable year in a row since our inception, and the year in which we passed the $1 billion mark in cumulative domestic box office alone," Schamus stated in a press release.

He said, “Our 2010 lineup is as audacious as any in our history, ranging from American indies like Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck’s 'It’s Kind of a Funny Story' to big international productions like Anton Corbijn’s 'The American'.”

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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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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.