The eponymous "Quintus" (Michael Fassbender) is struggling through the snow to escape the menacing Picts who have just ambushed and destroyed his outpost. He has to get the message to "Gen. Virilus" (Dominic West) before the whole of Britain is overrun by these warlike people. That man commands the ninth legion, and en masse they head north into the perilous wilderness - guided by "Etain" (Olga Kurylenko) - to seek vengeance. Further into enemy territory they go before betrayal and disaster befalls them. Only "Quintus" and a few of his colleagues manage to escape. Can they make it to Hadrian's Wall and safety? The photography is good in this film, the Scottish scenery is shown off in all it's glory, hostility and bleakness as the men strive to outrun their enemy and reach safety. The rest of it, though, is all rather disappointing. Neither the acting nor the writing is really up to very much, and with the possible exception of rather adept with a blade "Tarak" (Riz Ahmed) and his extremely fast-acting dead cap mushrooms, the whole thing is just a bit clunky and slow with too much score. The combat effects are generally quite good, though, and at times it has an authentic brutality to it, but neither Fassbender nor West are really in their element and I felt it seemed a great deal longer than 100 minutes. I like the genre and I have seen much worse, but given this must have had a decent budget this could have been better with just a little less prattle, some better casting and a bit more action.