Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Roman action epic comes across as grim, violent, and dull.
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The Eagle
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say the film evokes mixed feelings, with some viewers praising its action and historical elements, while others find it boring and violent. The movie's strong battle scenes and character dynamics receive both accolades and criticism, reflecting a polarized reception.
- mixed reviews
- strong action
- historical elements
- violence concerns
- character dynamics
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In 140 A.D., during the Roman occupation of Southern Britain, soldier Marcus (Channing Tatum) lives in the shadow of his disgraced father, who disappeared along with his entire legion many years earlier. In doing so, Marcus' father lost the "Eagle" of the title, a symbol for Roman glory. After being heroically wounded in battle, Marcus recuperates with his uncle (Donald Sutherland) and rescues a slave, Esca (Jamie Bell), from a deadly battle. Unable to live with disgrace any longer, Marcus decides to take Esca and journey into enemy territory to find the fabled Eagle, thereby restoring his father's good name and setting things right. What Marcus doesn't realize is that the journey will teach him more than he ever could have realized.
Is It Any Good?
The movie has a heavy, gray look, and it's mostly humorless. It delves into the battles with grim resolve (and choppy editing), and it's not clear whether the violence is supposed to be fun or cautionary (if it's the latter, then there's an awful lot of it, and it's tiresome). Fortunately, in his small role, Sutherland strikes a nice, cheerful tone that -- in larger doses -- might have made the movie more fun.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September) has had mixed results with his fiction movies (The Last King of Scotland, State of Play), and his rather impersonal approach doesn't suit this stodgy historical action movie. It takes a while to get going, and then its promising idea -- the "road trip" with the two enemies-turned-friends -- doesn't pay off. The film fails to really narrow its focus on these two, instead pondering larger issues, such as honor, glory, war, and freedom. The humans get lost in the shuffle.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. Is it essential to the story? Why or why not? How does it compare to what you'd see in a horror movie?
What does the Eagle of the movie's title represent? Is it a good symbol or a bad one?
What does the hero, Marcus, learn over the course of his journey? Is he a positive role model?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 11, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : June 21, 2011
- Cast : Channing Tatum , Donald Sutherland , Jamie Bell
- Director : Kevin Macdonald
- Studio : Focus Features
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 114 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : battle sequences and some disturbing images
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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