Attila

Attila The Hun, short for Attila The Hun-dred Million Dollar Overblown Epic is living proof that spending money on everything except a good historical writer is an error of Visi-gothic proportions. Intent on making Attila a sympathetic hero, and jettisoning a far more interesting real life history in the process, Attila makes all the worst mistakes that a made-for-TV costume epic can make. Lacking emotion or nuance, the film instead puts its money on plot-driven dialogue, Conan beefcake and low cut Xena warrior suits, and employs about 7 million Lithuanian extras to raise their swords and yell "YAAAAAH" every time Attila does, followed by endless montages of thousands dying from swords and arrows. Beautifully shot, but also full of silly and historically inaccurate plot twists and dumb dialogue, Attila just begs for a Monty Python-style send-up. Not recommended. (R. Ray)