Certificate – PG
Directed By – Dominic Brigstocke
Starring – Kim Cattrall, Craig Roberts, Kate Nash, Nick Frost, Emilia Jones, Sebastian Croft, Derek Jacobi, Lee Mack, Rupert Graves.
Running Time – 92 Minutes (1 Hour 32 Minutes)
The Horrible Histories books were massively popular with certain people within my age group as they made history fun and entertaining. Then a TV show popped up over a decade ago bringing in a new generation.
The show was utterly superb and one of the best children’s shows the BBC has produced in years if not decades. It was the launching pad for all of the original cast like Matthew Baynton and Simon Farnaby.
It was funny, clever and the music is top-notch.
So you can guess my interest and excitement when a film was announced.
What Is Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans About?
The all-conquering Romans rule the civilised world – and that includes “the stain” that is Britain. While the young Emperor Nero (Roberts) must battle his scheming mother Agrippina (Cattrall) for ultimate power, Celt queen Boudicca (Nash) gathers an army in Britain to repel the rotten Romans.
Mixed up in this battle for liberation are the teenage Atti (Croft), a reluctant Roman soldier, and Orla (Jones), a young Celt with dreams of becoming a warrior like Boudicca. Will they fall on opposite sides or forge a friendship in the chaos of Celtic-inspired rebellion?
Is It Any Good?
Yes, it’s utterly brilliant and one of the best family films coming out this year.
It’s kept the heart of what made the TV show was fantastic. The jokes were thick and fast and always funny and there is plenty for kids and parents/adults to enjoy.
This what makes the film so good and it’s helped with a fantastic cast.
Jacobi has a brief role but steals the film at the beginning but Cattrall and Roberts’ chemistry is fantastic and helps brings you in and it was hard to think, because there acting was so good, if you were rooting for or against them.
Roberts is easily the films MVP and plays Nero so brilliantly.
Meanwhile, Nash, Frost and Mack added to the film, especially Mack who I was pleasantly surprised by carrying a continuing gag that surely had to be improvised.
As for the two young leads, Croft and Jones did a decent job and could see having a strong career ahead of them.
The story is fantastic and I generally learned things that I have forgotten about the Romans since leaving school and learned more even when I was in school!
Finally, I hope this is the beginning of a franchise as they’ve got the books with 60 titles and it could be the modern-day version of the Carry On films by keeping a lot of these actors like Roberts, Cattrall, Mack, Nash and Frost but they’re different characters in different books.
Anything Bad About The Film?
Not a hell of a lot.
While the music was fantastic, there were times that it took me out of the film and maybe something to look at going forward.
This not a negative, more of a shame then anything is that there weren’t cameos for the OG cast, but fully understand why there wasn’t.
Again not a negative, but CAN WE HAVE MORE SANJEEV BHASKAR PLEASE!!
Verdict
The ideal and fantastic family film with a brilliant story helped by a fantastic cast.
The Bear Cave 