If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

A romanced story of Attila the Hun, from when he lost his parents in childhood until his death. Attila is disclosed as a great leader, strategist and lover and the movie shows his respect to the great Roman strategist Flavius Aetius, his loves and passions, the gossips, intrigues and betrayals in Rome, all of these feelings evolved by magic and mysticism. Attila benefits from terrific perfomances by both Gerard Butler as Attila and Powers Booth as Aetius but also a nice set of storytelling, love, war and betrayal that definitely overcomes some flaws. (8/10)

What more could one ask for on a cold and rainy afternoon than an engaging historical epic with some saucy looking men in muscle defining outfits? I'm not so sure about the historical accuracy of the film, but as I'm an early modern historian I'm not going to get all indignant on this issue. I leave that to the classicists. Instead I shall report that I sat there enjoying the scenery, wondering how the story would unfold and would Powers Boothe (the best baddie in the business) get it in the end and how did Gerard Butler get to be so yummy. It is a well done flick, beautifully filmed, competently acted by all, (including Australian Simmone Jade Mackinnon) and just a pleasant viewing indulgence for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Atilla 2001 (TV) A compelling epic dramaAttila/Atilla (Rollo Weeks) has the remarkable ability of a young warrior when hunting on the steppes. He deals resolutely with the tribesmen who destroyed his village so that his leadership quality is revealed at a young age.Attila (Gerard Butler)(Timeline, Phantom of the Opera, Dear Frankie) is an impressive warrior who is proud of being a Hun. He unites the tribesmen of the villages to become a powerful force on the battlefield with their lightning attacks on the enemy; the use of stirrups gave the Huns the advantage over their enemy. Attila realizes that he needs the 'belief' of the kings he has conquered not just their 'obedience' and this makes him such a respected ruler; his expressive gestures reveal his strong emotions through fine intuitive acting. Attila's characteristic penetrating gaze allows no further discussion when he considers the matter to be closed.The women of the villages fought as fiercely as their men when their villages were attacked. The great Attila is amazed when a feisty, red-haired women, N'Kara/Ildico (Simmone Jade Mackinnon) tears his shirt with her sword and he orders her to be saved and taken as a slave; his unexpectedness kindness is revealed when he spares the surviving members of her family. The two brothers Attila and Bleda (Tommy Flanagan) hate each other and Bleda chooses N'Kara as his share of the spoils of war to spite Attila. The impish Galen (Pauline Lynch) is a free-spirited young woman whose visions guide Attila towards his future as a great king. Attila courts the woman he loves with disarming frankness and their passionate love creates romantic magic.Honoria (Kirsty Mitchell) reveals the plight of women at that time to Attila. She tells him that her brother Valentinian is chosen to rule because he is a man and that brains don't do a woman much good. Honoria is infatuated with Attila who finds her pleasing, and, 'what else is there to say of a woman!'The powerful Roman general Flavius Aetius (Powers Boothe) loves Rome and is proud of her achievements. Aetius is a political and military strategist who manipulates Placida (Alice Krige) and her foppish son, the emperor Valentinian (Reg Rogers). Flavius admires Attila for his courage and skill and he invites Attila to visit Rome where he can learn 'how the world is ruled and because there is no one like you in Rome, no one like me here.' This foreshadows the conflict between east and west.Atilla is an excellent ensemble film.

What a good movie. A real way to improve an historical conquest and in some way to the fall of Rome (beginning.) I liked a lot Flavius Aetius, such a supreme commander general with strategy and thoughts. A real strategist using his mind as primary weapon and his influence as power. Attila wasn't wrong about taking conquest after conquest the merit of taking his people, the Huns, to new destiny. That barbarian was an idealist and a warrior, what more?Dialogs in that movie are excellent. Especially all the scenes with Flavius Aetius and Attila. The best between them is when Flavius claims that "the world is ruled by civilized men and not to barbarians".Then Attila responds "the world is owned by those strong enough to conquer it. " Other performances gave a strong adaptation, Honoria was one tasty and hard character. Such a young woman seductive and full of charms giving manipulation after manipulation for control.We all can consider that historical movies are better than faked adaptation from Hollywood.