'The Eagle' Flounders Despite Production Values

With a flawed script and stereotypical storyline, Kevin Macdonald’s “The Eagle” rarely rises above mediocrity. Despite being buoyed by quality cinematography and a decent musical score—necessities for any would-be war epic—the film is marred by poor acting and the narrow emotional range of lead actor Channing Tatum. His utter lack of presence dooms “The Eagle” to B-movie status, and gives the film the feel of a melodramatic high school production.

Resurrected by screenwriter Jeremy Brock from 1954 Rosemary Sufcliff novel “The Eagle of the Ninth,” the film’s story follows the adventures of Roman centurion Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum). Alongside his British slave Esca (Jamie Bell), Aquila endeavors to regain his family’s honor by retrieving a treasured eagle standard from the treacherous lands of southern Britain, and to discern what became of the standard-carrying legion—led by Aquila’s father—that disappeared in the region 20 years before. The quest tests the relationship of master and slave and the limits of the partners’ loyalty to each other.

Left within his traditional action comfort zone, Tatum (“G.I. Joe,” “Stop-Loss”) ably shows off his buff physique and athleticism in the film’s numerous combat scenes, but he lacks the acting muscles necessary to portray Aquila’s actual persona. Throughout “The Eagle,” Tatum appears awkwardly disengaged from the dramatic tension of the film, acting as the same mindless character who inhabits the film’s mindless action scenes. The supporting cast offers little relief, thanks to surprisingly subpar performances from usually dependable veterans Donald Sutherland (Aquila’s uncle) and Denis O’Hare (Lutorius, Aquila’s second-in-command).

To be fair, these poor showings may be attributable to the screenwriting. The film’s characters possess incongruously modern vocabularies and oddly American accents for ancient Rome—except for Tatum, who adopts a strange English-Spanish affectation. Lines like “Come on, put your thumbs up!” yelled to a crowd fail to complement the epic Old World vibes that the cinematography and musical score work so hard to develop. And when the film does attempt to evoke a historical sensibility, it does so with unnecessary official titles and ornate Roman greetings which are spoken so quickly that their meanings are almost impossible to decipher.

Despite the shoddy script, up-and-coming Scottish actor Jamie Bell shines in his role as Esca. Tasked with portraying a nuanced character—a man with good reason to both respect and resent his master—Bell displays a difficult range of emotions, from vengeful grief to fatherly tenderness, and holds the spotlight even as a subservient slave. Bell’s finesse allows him to compensate for Tatum’s poor performance and create a convincing portrayal of authentic camaraderie between the two characters.

The film and its crew also deserve credit for its cinematography and choice of locations. Director Macdonald does a superb job of juxtaposing his ample number of close-up shots with broad scenic sweeps; through these “The Eagle” skillfully showcases the dynamic beauty of the Scottish highlands and Hungarian countryside. Macdonald’s past experience with documentary filmmaking is reflected both in the film’s gorgeous landscapes and in the variety and originality of camera angles it employs to illustrate the subtleties of Tatum’s and Bell’s friendship.

With his score, Icelandic film composer Atil Örvarsson accomplishes a feat comparable to that of Macdonald’s cinematography. After working on “Iron Man” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End,” Örvarsson brings his experience in comic epic to the serious and dramatic tones of “The Eagle.” His score—while similar at times to those of his previous films—is refreshing. Its careful balance of simple solos and complex orchestral dynamics enhances the film without overwhelming the audience’s auditory senses with instrumental ballast. The synergy of cinematography and musical effects is especially effective in evoking the simmering ferocity of the Roman legions—and makes one wish there were performances and dialogue to accompany the aural and visual landscapes.

In the end, though cinematography and musical backdrop provide the epic atmosphere for an impressive Roman adventure, the film’s generally substandard acting and a flawed, unoriginal script fail to fill the vast expanse painted on the screen. The film thus presents more as a National Geographic feature with mildly gory action than as a hero’s meaningful journey through danger and wilderness to find honor and redemption. “The Eagle” is all style and too little substance.

—Staff writer Vivian W. Leung can be reached at vivianleung@college.harvard.edu.