Casey Chong on the best sword and sandals movies of the 21st century…

With Ridley Scott returning to ancient Rome this month in the long-gestating sequel Gladiator II (read our review here), it looks like the sword-and-sandal epic is making a comeback. The last time the genre made a splash, for better or for worse, was in the 2000s, when Scott defied the weird by bringing the sword-and-sandal epic with power and honor to Gladiator. That film went on to make a lot of money and even led to several Oscars. Below is our list of the best sword and sandals movies from the 2000s onwards…

Gladiator (2000)

Ridley Scott single-handedly revived the long-forgotten sword-and-sandal genre, dusting it off to make way for the epic. Gladiator. This is especially true after the genre collapsed with the expensive flops of Cleopatra and The fall of the Roman Empire. The result is one of his most celebrated works of his otherwise spotty career, transplanting old-school storytelling with a contemporary vibe. He keeps the dirty politics of the Roman Empire era, but doesn’t let it get in the way of focusing on what resonates most: the emotional pace of Russell Crowe’s Maximus’ quest for revenge to avenge the death of his family. He is the heart and soul of the film, playing his iconic role with gravitas – a result that earned him a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar.

The film also features Joaquin Phoenix’s cold-blooded antagonistic turn as Commodus, while Scott’s flair for propulsive imagery can be seen right from the start – a large-scale battle sequence between Roman soldiers and Germanic tribes . Graphic violence and brutality continue to dominate in the gladiatorial arena of the majestic Colosseum, a perfect combination of replica and state-of-the-art visual effects.

300 (2006)

Zack Snyder’s style over substance direction is used heavily in 300bringing Frank Miller and Lynn Varley’s limited comic book series of the same name to vivid life. It was the film that catapulted him into the Hollywood charts, after he was previously impressed by the 2004 remake of the film. Dawn of the Dead. 300 is a one-of-a-kind show full of highly stylized visuals, surreal slow-mo, and plenty of gore and graphic violence like a free-flowing massacre. The story isn’t its strongest point, and purists who expect historical accuracy surrounding the Battle of Thermopylae are best to steer clear, as it’s more of an alternate history, life-like epic.

In addition, 300 it is first and foremost an immersive and distinctive cinematic experience. The kind of visceral entertainment best seen on the big screen, complete with muscular actors led by Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas – the role that earned him a breakthrough with his gruff, tough exterior has since become synonymous with the Scottish actor. His character, of course, is best known for his iconic line “This is Sparta!”

Kingdom of Heaven: Director (2005)

Those who saw Of the Kingdom of Heaven theatrical release and came out disappointed wondering what the studio (then 20th Century Fox) was thinking at the time. It was an ill-fated move for the studio that required 45 minutes of footage to be cut, resulting in a rushed and disjointed 144-minute cut. But thanks to Ridley Scott’s insistence on restoring the original version meant to be seen all the time, the director’s film was later released to positive responses.

The three-hour-plus running time goes a long way toward smoothing out what’s been curiously missing on its narrative front, namely Orlando Bloom’s Balian of Ibelin’s clear motivation for killing his half-brother’s priest (Michael Sheen). in the first. place. Bloom himself isn’t the most stellar, despite shouldering the weight of leading the film. It’s serviceable at best and thankfully supported by a solid cast, from Liam Neeson’s Barisan of Ibelin to Jeremy Irons’ commanding Tiberias and Eva Green’s mesmerizing Sibylla of Jerusalem. Scott made good use of his $130 million budget with plenty of technically impressive action scenes, while John Mathieson’s captivating cinematography, shot on location in Morocco and Spain, deserves equal praise .

Troy (2004)

The summer of 2004 was an epic battle between sword and expensive sandals Troy and King Arthurboth films that stripped away classic fantasy mythology in favor of grounded realism. In case TroyHomer’s tale, inspired by the Iliad, is devoid of Greek gods, relying only on muscle-bound, male-in-skirt action heroes led by the charismatic Brad Pitt as Achilles. Troy it also has the advantage of disappointingly monotonous King Arthurbenefiting not only from Pitt’s lead performance, but also from Eric Bana as the dastardly Prince Hector.

Under the direction of Wolfgang Petersen, who knows a thing or two about the captivating visual spectacle seen in the likes of Das Boot, Air Force One and The Perfect Stormpays close attention to elaborate action choreography. He prefers camera work that is clearly shot, allowing us to clearly see what is happening on screen. He knows how to stage epic set pieces, making good use of his sizable budget, which cost around $185 million, with an equally impressive sound design and monumental score by James Horner.

300: Rise of an Empire (2014)

When 300: Rise of an empire was released in 2014, the sequel/spin-off didn’t get the same love as its 2006 predecessor, although it still made money at the worldwide box office. Noam Murro, who took over from original director Zack Snyder, maintains the latter’s hyper-stylized visuals with an orgy of slow-motion, gore violence that made 300 such an immersive cinematic experience in the first place.

Murro, who cut his teeth doing commercials before moving on to the feature film world Smart peopledirects his first big-budget studio production with an assured pace. The action scenes are thrillingly staged with enough verve, especially the naval battle backed by Junkie XL’s pulsating Middle Eastern-tinged score. 300: Rise of an empire he may lack the kind of commanding presence seen in Gerard Butler’s King Leonidas in the first film as Sullivan Stapleton’s Themistocles, whose impressive physique isn’t enough to overcome his character’s blandness. Fortunately, the supporting cast fares better, with Eva Green stealing the show as Artemisia, while Rodrigo Santoro is perfectly fine as the ruthless King Xerxes.

Centurion (2010)

Centurion it was the last time Neil Marshall did a commendable genre range before succumbing to the realm of mediocrity. It’s a shame that this Roman Empire-era sword-and-sandal thriller failed to make money on its release, and yet, Centurion he has a lot to do. Marshall keeps the story simple, avoiding the heavy political undertones usually associated with such a genre, as the film is essentially a chase film. The latter allows him to show his directorial prowess in staging muscular action scenes with a mix of fluid camerawork and Sam McCurdy’s spectacular cinematography. It also doesn’t shy away from brutality and graphic violence, even if the over-reliance on CGI tends to rob it of its practicality.

The action may have been the highlight here, but Marshall doesn’t forget to leave ample room for his actors to shine. This includes Michael Fassbender, fresh from The inglorious bastards a year earlier, who excels in his captivating role, turns into the centurion Quintus Dias, while Olga Kurylenko steals the show as the fearless mute scout and warrior Etain.

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

The $175 million bet King Arthur: Legend of the Sword tried and failed to set the box office on fire, eliminating any chance of progressing into a six-film franchise as planned. But it’s hard to deny Guy Ritchie’s ambition to turn the old King Arthur tale into a refreshingly contemporary version set in a medieval era. This, of course, is not the first time Ritchie has modernized classic literary characters, evident in the first two Sherlock Holmes films, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

Ritchie’s usual direction is on full display here – flash forward editing, quick cuts and slow motion to name a few. The film gets an equal boost from Charlie Hunnam’s charismatic role as the titular character, and he also does well in his physically demanding performance. Ritchie also cast Jude Law, where the latter does a fine job playing the ruthless king Vortigern.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Louis Leterrier’s $125 million remake of the 1981 genre classic of the same name might have been a box-office hit, even if the reviews weren’t kind. Leterrier is no stranger to pulpy entertainment, which can be seen in his first two Transporter movies. Save for the crappy post-converted 3D effects that were added at the time Avatars In Madness, he brilliantly tackles this fun sword-and-sandal fantasy epic with visually spectacular action set-pieces and camera angles, while Ramin Djawadi’s riveting score keeps the cinematic pace alive.

The introduction of the imposing Kraken monster is the result of technically impressive CGI, while the cast led by Sam Worthington’s Perseus is a serviceable action hero. But the supporting cast fares better, starting with Liam Neeson’s imposing Zeus, who is best remembered for his iconic “Release the Kraken!” while Ralph Fiennes is equally noteworthy in his sinister antagonistic turn as Hades, reprising the actor’s iconic portrayal of Lord Voldemort in the film. Harry Potter movie franchise.

What are your favorite sword and sandals movies? Is there one I missed from this list? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…

Casey Chong