The Last Legion (2007)

Overall rating from 1 to 100: 53

O Masterpiece (100)
O Excellent (75-99)
O Rental (60-74)
X OK (50-59)
O Mediocrity (30-49)
O Avoid (1-29)

Mini Review by Jason Pyles / November 10, 2007

My good friend and esteemed fellow movie critic, Luke Hickman, told me he walked into the theater during this film, stayed for 15 minutes, and laughed the whole time. So why did I see it? Because the film I was planning to see wasn’t playing (for some reason), and this was my only option. Poor movie critic me, I know. Tough job.

Let’s take a moment to notice that my rating scale doesn’t go down to zero, the lowest it gets is 1. That’s because, it seems to me, that the wonder of the motion picture, no matter how detestable its images, should at least register on the scale.

“The Last Legion” isn’t hideously horrible; in fact, it clocks in at a 53, which is better than half and translates to “OK.” But the worst movie of 2007 is easily “Delta Farce,” which received an 8. Avoid that puppy at all costs.

I mention all of this to simply say that I’d watch “The Last Legion” 100 times in a row before subjecting myself, once again, to the likes of “D-War” or “Daddy Day Camp” or “Delta Farce.” My laughing friend, Luke, obviously has yet to experience the pains of those “D” movies, if he’s so amused by “The Last Legion.” Which reminds me ... in my college cafeteria once, I saw “all-purpose meat” boxes which read, “Grade D but edible.” The same cannot be said of those films.

Truly, it is a testament to the talents of Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley (who carry this entire film) that they are able to carry this entire film. Yes, I know I wrote that twice. Young Thomas Sangster, who plays the last Caesar, also does a fair job with his performance.

But what harms this sword-in-the-stone/Camelot rendition is its low-budget look. The lead actors are fine, the story is tried and true (obviously, since it’s been retold 41 million times), but it all falls apart because we cannot take “The Last Legion” seriously.

But, alas, any eight- to 10-year-old boys would probably love it. My buddy, Luke, sure got a kick out of it.

Directed by Doug Lefler
Colin Firth / Ben Kingsley / Thomas Sangster
110 min. Action / Adventure
MPPA: PG-13 (for sequences of intense action violence)

Copyright 2007. 184