After spending the last several weeks watching the Starz show, “Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”, a visceral take on the lust and gore of the Roman Empire, “The Eagle” feels like a tale from a completely different time period. Mostly set in Britain in 140 A.D., this one uses more inferred violence than actually limb deductions — a far cry from its “300”/”Gladiator” counterparts. Still, this one gets the job done, even if it’s all a pretty forgettable experience.

Channing Tatum stars in the Roman epic adventure “The Eagle,” a Focus Features release directed by Academy Award nominated director Kevin Macdonald. (Photo by Matt Nettheim, courtesy of Focus Pictures)

Based on the 1954 historical novel, “The Eagle of the Ninth”, Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum) is a young Roman centurion ready to restore the honor of his family 20 years after a mysterious event led to his father’s disappearance, along with the Ninth’s eagle standard, a golden eagle carried into the great battles of the empire. But Marcus’ hopes to transcend a two-decade family joke are cut short when he’s injured and honorably discharged.

With too much time on his hands, Marcus decides it’s time to head into the uncharted north of Britain, beyond the wall that divides the “savages” from the “civilized” Romans, and reacquire the eagle — and hopefully a little pride along the way.

Fear not, however, for Marcus does not embark on this journey of a lifetime alone, but with the help of his trusty slave, Esca (Jamie Bell), a former resident of the area until Caesar’s Palace attempted to set up a new location in the Highlands and things got a little “knifey”.

Awkward tension between our protagonists results (could one of them become an antagonist? — my lips are sealed).

Director, Kevin Macdonald, has done some fine films in the past, notably “The Last King of Scotland” and “State of Play”, but “The Eagle” is a flat addition to a usually solid career. That said, his version of flat is still better than others.

There’s nothing new under the sun with this film, but at least there’s enough intrigue and character development to keep the plotline moving.

The strongest on-screen moments occur between Tatum and Bell, as their characters attempt to cope with the demons of their pasts: each had a father murdered in the struggle over Britain. Regrettably, the film takes more than 30 minutes to put the two leads together, and the interaction that transpires doesn’t properly unfold.

This isn’t your average Rome film. Sure, there’s the occasional toga and even a brief gladiator scene, but the majority of the action occurs in Britain, prior to the land of tea and crumpets. Druids and Pictish tribes are everywhere as our covert travelers search, ever fearing their mission will be uncovered.

Remember “King Arthur” (the bad one with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley)? Well, “The Eagle” is kinda like that but with no sex appeal or large cast to gradually kill off.

It’s just two guys running around trying to avoid getting killed or killing each other.

We’ve even got a few unexpected bit parts here. Donald Sutherland plays the understanding but a little snobby Uncle Aquila.

Mark Strong for once isn’t the villain but a mysterious resident, of the north, Guern, who just might know more than what his beard implies. And Marcus’ righthand man, Lotteries, is played by Denis O’Hare, an unfamiliar name but a recognizable face in British and American film and television.

With the Oscars coming up, all the good films are holding their breath so they don’t get lost in the critical hype.

In meantime, films like “The Eagle”, while far from perfect but equally far from horrid, will have to suffice until the March hopefuls kickstart the early blockbuster season.

Perhaps it’s due to a lack of options, but I actually found myself enjoying this one, cliches and all.