Legend Of The Soldier

Title: Legend Of The Soldier (15)

Year: 2010

Running Time: 86 minutes

Director: Daniel Benmayor

Cast: Juan Jose Ballesta (Bruc), Vincent Perez (Maraval), Astrid Berges-Frisbey (Gloria) Notes: Also known as Bruc The Manhunt. In French and Spanish. Won three Gaudi awards. Rating: 8

Thoughts:   A drummer in the mountains gives the French army the impression they are under attack from all sides and they flee in disorder.

An enraged Napoleon sends his Imperial Guard to track down and kill the man responsible.

This sits during the Peninsular war and whilst a great folk tale, in reality the French were routed by a Spanish force. The Spanish were indeed inferior, mostly militia, but they were an army nonetheless.

History aside, this is a great story. In fact, no, it's a simple story but it's played well.

All the characters are strong and the cast do very well. There is plenty of threat and tension, the story rolling along in what is, after all, a chase movie. It's violent, the battle scenes realistic, and there is a genuine sense of basic brutality without overdoing it.

The countryside looks great and the characters make you really care what happens to them.

For such a simple premise it is surprising how much pace this has. The culmination is a little bit of a surprise and I immediately found out more about this slice of history once I had finished watching.