It's clear that the filmmakers did actually read Rosemary Sutcliff's book, but they cut most of the character moments that make the book a treasure and replaced them with fights and moralizing so we're left with a generic sword and sandal story. That being said, there are really only three departures that I feel are flat out wrong: not freeing Esca before going North was a mistake because it's important that it's his choice to go; cutting the Demetrius of Alexandria bit was a mistake because it's dumb to go on a covert mission without a cover story; and having the remnants of the Ninth Legion come to the rescue was a mistake because it's just silly. ( )

Entertaining film and stuck surprisingly close to the book. ( )