My interest in Medieval times mainly concerns England, Scotland, Ireland.. all of that area, with a bit of Italy tossed in.. I mean I don't pass up the Roman Empire when it falls in my lap, but it's only recently I've become really interested in Goths, Visigoths, and Huns. This is mainly due to picking up the movie Attila and loving it. Normally I wouldn't have bought this DVD, but it had Gerard Butler in the starring role, and I had caught glimpses of it being mentioned on the History channel. I'm glad I grabbed it.

This is a 2001 mini series recently released on DVD. As such, it's very long at 177 minutes. Rest assured that none of that time is wasted. This is a very riveting version of the life of Attila the Hun. I'd like to assume that the majority of you would know who that is, but if not I'll do a brief blow-by.

At the end of the Roman Empire's hey-day arose a young man named Attila who would grow to fulfill a prophecy of his people and claim many lands... and eventually challenge the great Empire itself. The Huns were a very kinda barbarian type of folks, while the Romans were very refined. Attila was a smart fella though, and wiled his way into friendship with high Roman officials and eventually used that to end the reign of the Romans. This movie is one depiction of those historical events.

Is it a true telling? Who the hell knows. I think that, like most historical movies, parts are fairly accurate, and parts are embellished for theatrical reasons. Most sources assume Attila was the bad guy, this portrays him as just another guy with his own motivations just like everyone else. Neither the bad guy nor the good guy really.. just one of the power players of the age. I think that's probably closer to the truth than the popular bad guy thang. I mean, in a time when everyone wanted to rule the world is anybody in the right? Well.. ok the Goths didn't want the world, they just wanted to be peaceful farmers until all this hoopla between Attila and the Romans ticked them off.. but I digress.....

Where was I? Oh yes.. the movie. Gerard Butler has been rapidly moving up my list of favorite stud muffins since I noticed him in Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life and Reign of Fire, but he shot up that list when 2003's Timeline was released, a much maligned flick that I adored. He did every bit as well in Attila. He shows us the tough no-nonesense man folks feared, but he also portrays him with a human quality. We see Attila as love-struck, awed at the elegance of Rome, sometimes unsure of himself... all of those things which make a man a man... and he's damn gorgeous doing it.

In the role of the Roman, Flavius Aetius, we have the remarkable Powers Boothe in an outstanding performance. I've liked Boothe since 93's Tombstone where he played Curly Bill Brocious, and later his FBI Agent Wesley Doyle in Frailty confirmed my feelings on him. He's just damn good. Flavius was a player to the Nth degree and Booth gets that across without effort. His facial expression tell us exactly when he's plotting deviousness, and he conveys pain remarkably well in regards to the issue with his daughter. I won't go into that as it would ruin a bit of the movie if you don't already know the story.

While he doesn't show up in the story for quite awhile into it, Tim Curry adds a bit of that touch to the movie that only Curry can. His stature and mere presence usually mean that I'm going to really, really like a movie. Even when being serious, there is something to his method that makes me grin. I just can't describe it as anything other than the 'Curry touch'. heh. Part of that may be due to picturing him in his current role only wearing that Merrywidow from Rocky Horror Picture Show. heh. But it's not just that at all. He did phenomenal as Cardinal Richileu in Disney's version of The Three Musketeers too. He's just so damn good at being bad. Curry did not disappoint me at all in Attila. Just delighful.

This was directed by Dick Lowry who has a slew of TV credits. Currently he's the man in charge of the popular "Crossing Jordan" TV Series. What can I say? I loved the movie. I say good job.

This one is unrated in the US, but I would think a PG13 if given a rating at all.. but then the folks who actually give the ratings are usually a bit harsher than I am so who knows... if your kid is capable of sitting through a 3 hour movie then I say go for it.

Five Stars.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD