The history of mankind offers countless plots for modern cinema. The bloody wars of Ancient Greece, the birth of mighty empires, the legendary feats of heroes, and myths about Egyptian gods – all this keeps the viewer from getting bored in front of the screen. UNN offers a selection of films that can be watched in your free time.
300 (2007)
480 BC. Persian King Xerxes, seeking revenge on the Greeks for his father Darius’ defeat, embarks on a great campaign against Hellas. His envoys arrive in Sparta, demanding obedience and symbolic “earth and water” from King Leonidas. But the proud Spartans, not prone to diplomatic niceties, throw the foreigners into a well – saying there is enough earth and water there. Despite the prohibition of bribed oracles and predictions of defeat, Leonidas decides to act against fate. Together with three hundred Spartan warriors, he occupies a narrow gorge near Thermopylae – the “Hot Gates”, where Xerxes’ multi-thousand army loses its advantage. There, the heroes prepare to face an unequal battle against the onslaught of the “immortals”, war elephants, and the entire might of Persia.
• Genre: action, war, drama, fantasy;
• Country: USA;
• Director: Zack Snyder;
• Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, David Wenham, Vincent Regan, Michael Fassbender.
Troy (2004)
The history of mankind is full of legends and myths about deep feelings, great deeds, contempt for death, and immortal love. And now one of the most famous of them comes to life again – the magnificent narrative of the ancient Greek bard gets a new breath. This is a story about the clash of two great nations, about a war that became a symbol of heroism and tragedy.
On the battlefield, the most powerful warriors of Hellas converge: the wise Odysseus, the invincible Achilles, and others, led into battle by the proud King Agamemnon. They are opposed by the defenders of Troy – the noble Hector, the young Paris, and the brave Trojans. At the center of this confrontation is the beautiful Helen, for whom the war broke out, which will take countless lives. Here, honor and valor, love and hatred, loyalty and betrayal are intertwined – a great saga about the grandeur and tragedy of human passions.
• Genre: drama, adventure;
• Country: USA, Malta, Great Britain;
• Director: Wolfgang Petersen;
• Cast: Julian Glover, Brian Cox, Nathan Jones, Adoni Maropis, Jacob Smith, Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger.
The First King (2018)
The story of the legendary twin brothers Romulus and Remus – the future founders of Rome. Former shepherds go from destitute fugitives to the progenitors of a great empire, born of fraternal blood.
753 BC. After a terrible flood, Romulus and Remus are captured, but escape with a priestess of the goddess Vesta, carrying the “sacred fire.” She prophesies: one of the brothers will become ruler, and the other – his victim. Despite the prophecy, the brothers try to change fate, but the struggle against the will of the gods turns out to be the cruelest test.
An Italian epic that reinterprets the birth of the legend of the founding of Rome.
• Genre: comedy, historical;
• Country: Italy, Belgium;
• Director: Matteo Rovere;
• Cast: Alessandro Borghi, Fabrizio Rongione, Michael Schermi, Emilio De Marchi, Ludovico Succio, Massimiliano Rossi.
Gods of Egypt (2018)
The story of the Egyptian gods is cruel and full of blood – especially when told by mortals. The god of darkness Set, full of rage and ambition, seeks to seize power over flourishing Egypt, even at the cost of killing his own brother Osiris. But he did not take into account that the murdered would find defenders – brave, stubborn, and ready for self-sacrifice. One of them is a simple thief who dares to challenge the god himself. Human strength is not enough, so Horus, the son of Osiris, comes to his aid. But before gaining the support of a heavenly ally, the mortal will have to go through many trials and harden his will to overthrow the ruthless Set with Horus and restore honor to the fallen god.
• Genre: action, adventure, fantasy;
• Country: USA, Australia;
• Directors: Alex Proyas;
• Cast: Brenton Thwaites, Courtney Eaton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Paula Arundell, Gerard Butler.
The Northman (2022)
The son of a Viking chieftain named Amleth once lived a carefree life in his father’s love and female attention. He knew neither hunger, nor cold, nor loneliness; loyal friends and advisors were always by his side. But everything changed when his uncle Fjölnir, craving power, killed his brother and usurped the throne. In the bloody massacre, young Amleth miraculously managed to escape, but he was left alone – without a home, wealth, or support. Swearing revenge, he grew into a strong and fearless warrior. Fate brings him together with the Slavic sorceress Olga, who saves his life and promises to help him regain the throne and free his mother. But the path to revenge will be full of trials and blood.
• Genre: action, adventure, drama, historical, thriller, fantasy;
• Country: USA;
• Director: Robert Eggers;
• Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lind.
