Centurion

http://onedeadfish.blogspot.com/2009/11/most-wanted-2010.html

Already sounds ace to me, and if you add in the fact that Michael Fassbender - who has been great in everything I've seen him in - is in the lead, <snipped> then this surely can't go wrong...

http://flicksided.com/2010/03/sxsw-review-centurion/

Think Michael Fassbender temporarily stole the show — while Cristoph Waltz was offscreen, of course — in Inglourious Basterds.

As for Fassbender, the Irishman was every bit as bad ass as Gerard Butler in 300 and Russell Crowe in Gladiator. This guy is going to be a huge star. I was able to ask director Neil Marshall about him at the Q & A following the SXSW secret screening. Marshall raved about his star, stating that Fassbender is a “seriously impressive guy” who is “good at everything.” After seeing Fassbender’s most recent work, it’s hard to disagree with that statement.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44309

The lead is Michael Fassbender who you may remember as being awesome in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, 300 and his best work in HUNGER. His character, Quintus Dias is the son of a legendary Gladiator who won his freedom. Which basically means his dad was a badass. And Quintus learned the art of war from him. The result is a really wonderful character.

Neil committed to making Michael Fassbender do his entire commentary track as Christopher Walken - cuz apparently Fassbender does a KILLER WALKEN - and wouldn't that just f#%@#&! be the bomb?

http://www.cinematical.com/2010/03/18/sxsw-review-centurion/

Michael Fassbender, however, does deliver an enjoyably effective lead hero. Not nearly as gruff and commanding as the heroes found in 300 or Gladiator, Fassbender's Quintus Dias is instead a quietly confident warrior. His butt-kicking abilities and leadership skills are undeniably evident, but his calm exterior is that of a soldier fighting to stay alive, and not one who craves an extra battle or two.

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/sxsw-review-centurion.php

The film also benefits from a pair of outstanding performances. Michael Fassbender plays Quintus, a centurion who is rescued by the 9th legion after being taken prisoner by the Picts. He ultimately becomes their leader when their general, played by Dominic West, is captured. Fassbender is a phenomenal actor. I am ashamed to say I didn’t take note of his talent until Inglorious Basterds, but the man is amazing. He has this old-world charm and class that makes him pitch-perfect for period films; guy looks like Don Draper in Basterds for crying out loud.

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2010/03/sxsw-review-centurion/

Michael Fassbender apparently can do no wrong, as his performance in CENTURION becomes yet another positive notch in his belt of acting achievements. Fassbender gives Quintus Dias a level of silent moral conflict that balances the character with his heroic status, able to kick some serious ass in combat.

http://gordonandthewhale.com/sxsw-2010-review-centurion/

Fassbender continues to solidify his place at the top of my list of cinema’s best actors. Despite the film’s action orientation, Fassbender refuses to phone in his performance. He delivers yet another solid performance as Quintus Daius and proves that he can do literally anything in the realm of acting.

http://twitchfilm.net/reviews/2010/04/action-fest-2010-centurion-review.php

If Ridley Scott cast Russell Crowe to be the new coming of Charlton Heston then what Marshall has done here is make Michael Fassbender into Steve McQueen - a taciturn, seventies style reluctant hero on the run for survival in a world where all the moral lines have blurred out to gray.

http://itwalksamongus.blogspot.com/2010/04/centurion.html

It’s no wonder why Michael Fassbender is in demand his portrayal as Dias make you sympathise for his plight in fact he'd be great in a big blockbuster action film.

http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-motion-captured/posts/sxsw-neil-marshall-s-centurion

"Centurion," his latest, attempts to answer the question of what happened to Rome's legendary Ninth Legion, and it's a bloody, gritty, simple chase film that gives Michael Fassbender a lead role that could easily turn him into a viable action hero in big Hollywood films. So far, he's proven himself to be a gifted and interesting actor in films like Steve McQueen's "Hunger," Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds," and the underseen "Fish Tank" from earlier this year. He's a bit of a chameleon, and he's one of those actors who pushes his body to extremes depending on the role. For "Hunger," where he played an Irish hunger striker, he looked like he was on the verge of death, emaciated and frail. In "Centurion," he's preposterously ripped, and he handles himself like an old pro in the fight sequences. It's an impressive piece of work, and he grounds the film with his performance.

http://www.filmshaft.com/centurion-review/

Michael Fassbender proves he’s one of the best actors with a committed performance in a film that occasionally verges into cliché and silliness. Yet there’s the great chance Marshall is having fun with genre staples and knows full well what he’s doing.

The lead trio: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham and David Morrissey are the film’s strongest assets and their obvious enjoyment of working together imbues the film with a great sense of camaraderie. It also allows the audience to care about their plight, too.

Go and see Centurion if you like great acting, history and high levels of gore. Michael Fassbender is superb and it’s only a matter of time before this guy is considered one of the top talents of his generation. He gets better and better with each film.

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/466580/centurion_review.html

Michael Fassbender, as Quintus, makes for an immediately sympathetic lead, whose voiceover and actions lead us through the mythic tale, supported along the way by some recognisable faces.

Fassbender is most likely best known of late for making a slight faux pas, in Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds (which I really can't recommend highly enough if you've been putting off watching it. Just forget Death Proof ever happened) and proves to be as adept at sword play as he is at being a comparatively sensitive soul.

http://schmooatthemovies.blogspot.com/2010/04/hey-look-at-this-centurion.html

The film stars Michael Fassbender, who is fast becoming one of my favorite actors. Recently, he had magnificent and varied roles in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, FISH TANK and HUNGER and will appear in this year's JONAH HEX. It appears as though CENTURION will help to strengthen Fassbender's potential as an action star, which will only quicken his inevitable ascent into the mainstream.

http://fanthefiremagazine.com/blog/film/film-review-centurion/

In the central role, however, Michael Fassbender is excellent, and almost single handedly will keep your eyes on screen for the bulky feeling 97-minute running time. Fassbender embodies the passion and drive of the ancient, 117 AD era, equally at home in the actions sequences as in the brief moments of dialogue.

http://www.puremovies.co.uk/reviews/centurion/

Fassbender proves to be a dominating screen presence and holds the film together remarkably well. He’s been gaining increasing attention since Inglourious Basterds, and he meets the challenge of his first title role in a mainstream film exceptionally well. It’s clear that he has a bright future.

http://blog.onthebox.com/2010/04/21/centurion-review-worth-its-salt/

Michael Fassbender is fast carving a name for himself for being reliably versatile actor in every film he’s in, whether as morally ambiguous rogue (Fishtank) or Nazi killing solider (Inglourious Basterds). Centurion is no exception as Fassbender plays Quintus as a competent and tough survivor – a smart, confident career solider who’s got through by being tough and doing necessary but unpleasant tasks.

At no point do you see him grandstanding or spoiling for fights. This is a film very much grounded in the realism of battle – marching is hard work, skirmishes are brutal, death is unpleasant.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/108/1085102p1.html

Fassbender balances brawn and brains well, his character convincingly juggling impressive battle skills with what appears to be a sensitive soul. His relationship with Virilus has promise, and David Morrissey provides solid support as Bothos, a more primitive but deeply loyal warrior.

http://www.eatsleeplivefilm.com/?p=701

Michael Fassbender is already on his way to becoming a real star and this helps with that aim. Looking like he can handle himself but with a nobility which you can see the other men gravitating towards, his character could have been bland but with Fassbender, he becomes a hero you want to root for.

http://www.bombedoutinspace.com/2010/04/25/centurion-2010/

Centurion has many positive points. Most notably the superbly constructed and fantastically gory death scenes, the massacre sequence in particular and the performances of the central players. Particularly David Morrissey as Bothos and Michael Fassbender as Quintus Dias. Fassbender in particular gives a performance of typical Marshall exuberance and fantastic intensity.

http://chrisnthat.blogspot.com/2010/04/would-you-adam-and-eve-it-constant.html

Fassbender makes a charismatic hero and by and large the performances of Liam Cunningham (gruff old soldier), David Morrissey (gor-blimey best mate), Noel Clarke (brave but too trusting squaddie) manage to rise above the relentlessly macho script.

http://robnolanrobrage.blogspot.com/2010/04/blokes-romans-fassbender.html

After his impressive performance in Inglorious Basterds, Michael Fassbender firmly establishes himself as a leading man...but one of a time long past. That's not a bad thing as he presents a strong, unflabbable, David Niven-esque, stiff-upper-lip quality that's all but disappeared in English actors.

http://shadesofcaruso.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/romanes-eunt-domus/

Nevertheless, many of the flaws of Centurion are easily forgotten thanks to the conviction of Michael Fassbender, who really really really should be an enormous star by now. His work as the unblemished hero is strong enough to power the movie past its problems, and proves he can carry an action movie with ease. Though Quintus Dias is a relatively humourless individual (in the classic Hill mode), Fassbender’s charisma and commitment to the role should win audiences over.

http://filmcriticbob.blogspot.com/2010/04/big-tuesday-night-review-alright.html

Fassbender, meanwhile, brings Quintus essential composure and pitiless purpose. Centurion should prove to those who have yet to acknowledge Fassbender as a serious actor to contend with that he has what it takes to lead a major motion picture.

http://mycinemania.blogspot.com/2010/04/centurion.html

Centurion does feature some decent performances from several good actors. Michael Fassbender, following on from the acclaimed performances in Hunger, Fish Tank and Inglourious Basterds shows that he is capable of leading more commercial films in bigger roles

There are a few likeable performances and Fassbender makes for an able leading man

http://globalcomment.com/2010/centurion-the-perils-of-empire-make-for-good-cinema/

Michael Fassbender continues his climb to A-list status with yet another riveting performance as Dias,