The Legion (film)

The Legion is a 2020 Spanish-American action adventure film directed by Jose Magan, and featuring Mickey Rourke and Bai Ling. It is based on the war between Rome and Parthian Empire in Armenia from 58 to 63 AD.

The Legion
Film poster
Directed by	José Magán
Written by	Pedro Santamaria Carmen Ballesteros
Story by	José Magán Pedro Santamaria
Produced by	José Magán
Starring	Mickey Rourke Bai Ling
Cinematography	Robert Reed Altman Nacho Tundidor
Edited by	Omar Bermudez
Music by	Jordi Longan
Production companies	Magol Films Carbara Films Equo Entertainment
Distributed by	Saban Films
Release date	May 8, 2020 (2020-05-08)[1]
Running time	96 minutes
Countries	United States Spain
Languages	English Spanish

It is Magán's directorial debut.^[1]

Cast

• Lee Partridge as Noreno, the half-Roman soldier
• Mickey Rourke as General Corbulo
• Bai Ling as Amirah, Corbulo's mistress
• Joaquim de Almeida as General Paetus
• Vladimir Kulich as Marcus
• Bosco Hogan as Saul
• Marta Castellvi as Duria
• Tristan McConnell as Nerses
• Eric Higgins as Madyes
• Gavan Duffy as Saka
• Michael Redmond as Scyles
• Mark Aaron as Valerius
• Ciaran O’Grady as Claudius
• Jinny Lofthouse
• Enrique Inchausti
• Richard Wilson

Release

The film was released in the United States on May 8, 2020 on video-on-demand and digital platforms.^[1][2]

Reception

Tara McNamara of Common Sense Media awarded the film one star out of five.^[3]

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a negative review and wrote, "Director Magán displays no flair for action sequences, although the budgetary limitations obviously didn't help. Nor does he successfully pull off the dramatic scenes, including one in which Rourke delivers an anguished, tearful monologue that plays like a decades-old Actors Studio audition piece and nearly erases all memories of his sensitive work in such films as Diner and The Wrestler."^[4]