| The Eagle | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Kevin Macdonald |
| Produced by | Duncan Kenworthy |
| Screenplay by | Jeremy Brock |
| Based on | The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff |
| Starring | Channing Tatum Jamie Bell Donald Sutherland Mark Strong |
| Music by | Atli Örvarsson |
| Cinematography | Anthony Dod Mantle |
| Editing by | Justine Wright |
| Studio | Toledo Productions Film4 Productions |
| Distributed by | Focus Features (US) Universal Pictures (UK) |
| Release date(s) | 11 February 2011 (United States) 25 March 2011 (United Kingdom) |
| Running time | 114 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English Gaelic |
| Budget | $25 million[1] |
| Box office | $36,054,706[2] |
The Eagle is a 2011 historical epic film directed by Kevin Macdonald, and starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, and Donald Sutherland. Adapted by Jeremy Brock from Rosemary Sutcliff's historical adventure novel The Eagle of the Ninth (1954), the film tells the story of a young Roman officer searching to recover the lost Roman eagle standard of his father's legion in the northern part of Great Britain. The story is based on the Ninth Spanish Legion's supposed disappearance in Britain.
The film, a British-American co-production, was released in the U.S. and Canada on 11 February 2011, and was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 25 March 2011.
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In the year 140 AD, 20 years after the Ninth Legion disappeared in the north of Britain, Marcus Flavius Aquila, a young Roman centurion, arrives in Britain to serve at his first post as a garrison commander. Aquila's father disappeared with the eagle standard of the ill-fated legion, and Aquila hopes to redeem his family's honour by bravely serving in Britain. Shortly afterwards, only Aquila's alertness and decisiveness saves the garrison from being overrun by Celtic tribesmen. He is decorated for his bravery but honourably discharged due to a severe leg injury.
Living at his uncle's estate near Calleva (modern Silchester) in southern Britain, Aquila has to cope with his military career having been cut short and his father's name still being held in disrepute. Heeding rumours that the eagle standard has been seen in the north of Britain, Aquila decides to recover it. Despite the warnings of his uncle and his fellow Romans, who believe that no Roman can survive north of Hadrian's Wall, Aquila travels north into the territory of the Picts, accompanied only by his British slave Esca. Esca, the son of a Brigantes chieftain, detests Rome and what it stands for, but also considers himself bound to his master, who saved his life during an amphitheatre show.
After several weeks of travelling through the northern wilderness, Esca and Aquila encounter Guern, one of the survivors of the Ninth Legion, who attributes his survival to the hospitality of the Selgovae tribe. Guern recalls that all but a small number of deserters were killed in an ambush by the northern tribes — including Esca's Brigantes — and that the eagle standard was taken away by the Seal People, the most vicious of the tribes. The two travel further north until they are found by the Seal People. Identifying himself as a chieftain's son fleeing Roman rule and claiming Aquila as his slave, Esca is welcomed by the tribe. After allowing the Seal People to mistreat Aquila, Esca eventually reveals that his actions were a ploy and helps his master to find the eagle. As they retrieve it, they are ambushed by several warriors, including the Seal Prince's father, but Marcus and Esca manage to kill them and escape with the eagle standard. With the aid of the Seal Prince's young son, Esca and Marcus manage to escape the Seal People's village.
The two flee south in an effort to reach Hadrian's Wall, with the Seal People in hot pursuit. Aquila, slowed by his old battle wound, orders Esca to take the eagle back to Roman territory and even grants the reluctant slave his freedom. Freed, Esca still refuses to abandon his friend and instead heads out to look for help. He returns with the survivors of the Ninth legion just as the Seal People catch up with them. The legionaries, wishing to redeem themselves, accept Aquila as their commander and prepare to defend the eagle standard. As an example to those who would betray their people, the Seal Prince kills his young son in front of Esca, Marcus, and the legionaries, then orders his warriors to attack. A battle ensues, in which the Seal Prince and all his warriors are killed, along with most of the Ninth Legion soldiers. After burying the fallen legionaries — including Guern — Aquila, Esca, and the few survivors of the Ninth return to Roman territory, where Aquila delivers the eagle to the astonished governor in Londinium. There is some talk of the Ninth legion being reformed with Aquila as its commander. But when Aquila and Esca wonder what they will do next, Aquila leaves the decision to Esca.
The alternate ending is featured in the DVD. Aquila decides to burn the eagle standard on the altar where the final battle occurred, instead of delivering it to the Roman governor of Britannia. He tells Esca that he does this because the eagle belongs to the men who fought for it. Aquila and Esca are then shown approaching Hadrian's Wall on foot and talking about their plans for the future.
Principal photography began on 24 August 2009 in Hungary,[4][5] which doubles for England. In October, production moved to Scotland, where filming took place in Wester Ross and at Loch Lomond, among other locations.[3] The film was made for around £15 million[3] by producer Duncan Kenworthy's Toledo Productions for co-financiers Focus Features and Film4. Kevin Macdonald directed from a script by Jeremy Brock, who adapted the 1954 historical adventure novel of the same name by Rosemary Sutcliff. The director of photography was Anthony Dod Mantle, production design was by Michael Carlin, the costume design was by Michael O'Connor, and Justine Wright edited the film—her fifth for Macdonald.[4] At the 62nd Cannes Film Festival in May 2009, The Eagle of the Ninth secured distribution deals "for every global market".[3]
Macdonald intended the film to be historically authentic, but as little is certain about the tribes that the Romans encountered—they were probably Celts, but some may have been Picts—he made concessions. For example, the tribespeople spoke Gaelic, even though the language probably did not enter widespread use in the region until the 5th century AD;[6] Pictish is the more likely language to have been spoken at the time.[3] "It's the best we can do," Macdonald said. "All you can do is build on a few clues and trust your own instincts. That way, no one can tell you you were wrong."[6] Only 1% of Scots speak Gaelic, limiting the talent pool to just 60,000 people. By August 2009, several Gaelic-speaking boys had auditioned for the role of a boy of the Seal people, aged nine to twelve, but without success,[3] so Macdonald held open auditions in Glasgow for the role.[3] It was eventually given to nine-year-old Thomas Henry from Newbarnsley, Belfast, who had been educated in Irish Gaelic.
Macdonald described his view of the Seal people:[6]
They were a more indigenous folk than the Celts, who were from farther south ... They were probably small and dark, like the Inouit [sic], living off seals and dressed in sealskins. We are going to create a culture about which no one knows much, but which we will make as convincing as possible. We are basing it on clues gained from places like Skara Brae and the Tomb of the Eagles in Orkney, so that we will have them worshipping pagan symbols, like the seal and the eagle. The reason they have seized the emblem of the Roman eagle from the legion is because to them it [was] a sacred symbol.[6]
Achiltibuie, a village in northwest Scotland, was used as a filming location for the "Seal People". Filming started in Achiltibuie on October 7, 2009, and finished on October 15, 2009. The main location was Fox Point, Old Dornie. The Pictish village which was constructed at Fox Point was used on most days of the filming. Other sites included Achnahaird beach, where a horse chase was filmed, and Loch Lurgainn. Macdonald intended to use locals as extras. This was a success with many locals appearing as extras after going to castings in nearby Ullapool. Their roles included "Seal Warriors", "Seal Princesses" and "Elders".
In a reversal of Hollywood films about the Roman Empire, Macdonald said the Romans are played by American actors and Rome's enemies by British actors.[7] The Romans are played by Americans "to achieve a little contemporary symbolism",[6] with Bell using his native Sunderland Mackem accent, and Scots Gaelic standing in for Pictish.[8]
According to Channing Tatum, the actors trained 4–5 hours a day for each role.[9]
The Eagle received mixed reviews, with the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reporting that 39% of critics gave the film a positive review with an average score of 5.3/10, based on 140 professional reviews. The site's consensus stated, "The Eagle has a pleasantly traditional action-adventure appeal, but it's drowned out by Kevin Macdonald's stolid direction and Channing Tatum's uninspired work in the central role."[10] Metacritic gave the film an average score of 55/100 based on 35 critical reviews.[11] The reception by audiences was similar, with audiences giving the film an average score of 'C+' according to CinemaScore.[12]
Roger Ebert gave The Eagle three stars out of four saying that "it evokes the energy of traditional sword-and-shield movies" and praising its realistic battle scenes and limited use of CGI.[13]
In the United States, The Eagle was released on February 11, 2011, in 2,296 theaters.[14] It grossed $8,684,464 during its opening weekend, ranking 4th behind Gnomeo and Juliet, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never and Just Go With It.[15] The film had a worldwide gross of $35,467,108 as of May 9, 2011, higher than its $25 million budget.[14]
The Eagle was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on June 21, 2011.[16]
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