| Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans | |
| Director: | Dominic Brigstocke |
| Cinematography: | John Sorapure |
| Editing: | Nigel Williams |
| Distributor: | Altitude Film Distribution |
| Runtime: | 92 minutes[1] |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Gross: | $3.8 million[2] |
Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans is a 2019 British historical comedy film directed by Dominic Brigstocke, based on the book series of the same name by author Terry Deary, and the television series of 2009 and 2015 on CBBC. The film production, of one of the stories, was announced in March 2016. The film is a co-production, between Altitude Film Entertainment, BBC Films and Citrus Films. It was released on 26 July 2019 to mixed reviews.[3]
Atti, a Roman teenager with brains but no muscle, is always coming up with schemes, but one of these upsets Emperor Nero. For his punishment, he is sent to cold wet Britain on the fringe of the Roman Empire.
Whilst in Britain, he is captured by Orla, a feisty Celt, but they eventually come to an understanding, but to Atti's horror, when he is returned to his regiment, he finds himself pitted against Orla and her tribe at the Boudican revolt's Battle of Watling Street.[4]
The rights to a film were optioned from the Horrible Histories author, Terry Deary. The project was filmed in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, including in the Roman villa and Iron Age village at Butser Ancient Farm in Hampshire, and Iron Age roundhouses at Celtic Harmony in Hertfordshire.[5] [6] [7] [8]
Rotten Romans opened to $754,973 in the United Kingdom., the film has earned a total of $3.7 million, at the box office.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of, based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's consensus says, "Charmingly broad and appropriately goofy, Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans lands its punchlines often enough to entertain its target audience."[9]
Peter Bradshaw gave the film three out of five stars. He describes Derek Jacobi reprising the role which made him famous in 1976 as the Emperor Claudius, as the film's most sensational coup. Bradshaw calls the film "a decent bit of school holiday entertainment" although he felt the broad humour was aimed at (very young) audiences, and not as good as the film Bill, which was produced by the writers and actors from the television series of Horrible Histories.[10]
Wendy Ide gave the film two out of five stars, and felt that the film lacked some of the "essential rottenness", as the linear format of the film rather than the skit-based structure of the series led to a loss of "the punchy hit rate of gung ho, gross out that made the series such a deliciously uncouth pleasure".[11]