Attila's feats in the Western and Eastern Roman Empires with a lot of historical incorrectness . This Attila" (2001) miniseries by Dick Lowry boasts a good cast , such as Gerard Butler as Attila the Hun , Powers Boothe as Aetius , Simmone Mackinnon as Ildico and Red Rogers as Valentinian . It deals with Attile from when in childhood he saw how his his parents were killed , as well as his kingdom , until death , and is set during the waning days of Roman Empire , as the barbarian Huns are making their way toward Europe . A valiant warrior named Attila (Gerard Butler) violently assumes Hun leadership confronting his brother Bleda (Tommy Flanagan) . But this is not enough for him , Attila seeks to create an empire and he will stop at nothing to accomplish it . In an attempt to quell a Hun invasion , ambitious Roman General Flavius Aetius (Powers Boothe) attempts to form an alliance with the eastern Roman emperor Theodosius (Tim Curry) and Visigoth King Theodoric (Liam Cunningham) scheming against their mutual enemy . While Attile attempts to march against Rome but this plan backfires , and it soon becomes clear that a violent confrontation between all three armies awaits . Against the ravaging hordes of Attila stood a warrior's might and a people's faith! . Against his ruthless pagan lusts , the power of a woman's love!
This is a spectacular TV series full of historic inaccuracy and being well starred Gerard Butler as Attila . It results to be an epic adventure yarn set in 5th-Century about the chieftain Attila the Hun who joins the warring clans under his banner , as he was a leader of the Hunnic Empire , a tribal confederation consisting of Huns , Ostrogoths , and Alans among others , on the territory of Central and Eastern Europe , while Roman Empire is bristling under the leadership of cunning General Aetius and of the incompetent Caesar Valentinian . This spectacular movie contains action , breathtaking battles , thrills , romance , hokey historical events and the crowed scenes of the Huns are impressively made . Big production design , lavishly produced , brilliant photography and rousing soundtrack as you'd expect from a big-budgeted TV movie at the time . There takes place a fictitious battle of wits and wills between Attila/Gerard Butler and Aetius/Powers Boothe . Gerard Butler dominates with his bravery this historical adventure , while Valentiniano , being grumpily performed by an overacting Reg Rogers . Great support cast provide some solid secondary interpretations such as : Alice Krige , Liam Cunningham , Kirsty Mitchell , Jonathan Hyde , Steven Berkoff , Tommy Flanagan and Andrew Pleavin as Orestes . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Steven Fierberg . Evocative as well as thrilling musical score by Nick Glennie-Smith . The motion picture was professionally directed by TV series expert , Dick Lowry, though it has some flaws and historical mistakes .
The picture is partially based on historical events about Attila , Marciano , Valentiniano , Pulcheria and emperor Teodosio . During his reign , Attila was one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires . He crossed the Danube twice and plundered the Balkans, but was unable to take Constantinople . His unsuccessful campaign in Persia was followed in 441 by an invasion of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire , the success of which emboldened Attila to invade the West. He also attempted to conquer Roman Gaul (modern France) , crossing the Rhine in 451 and marching as far as Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains . He subsequently invaded Italy , devastating the northern provinces , but was unable to take Rome . As Attila marches across Empire to Rome and things look bleak for the weakened imperial forces . Emperor Valentinian III sent three envoys , the high civilian officers Gennadius Avienus and Trigetius , as well as the Bishop of Rome Leo I , who met Attila at Mincio in the vicinity of Mantua and as the conqueror had an awe of the power of the Christians' God , he obtained from him the promise that he would withdraw from Italy and negotiate peace with the Emperor . Finally , Aecio vanquished Attile in Chalons . He planned for further campaigns against the Romans but died in 453 . After Attila's death his close adviser Ardaric of the Gepids led a Germanic revolt against Hunnic rule, after which the Hunnic Empire quickly collapsed .
Other films dealing with this historical character are the followings : ¨Attila¨(1953) Pietro Francisci with Anthony Quinn , Sofia Loren and Henry Vidal as general Aecio . ¨Sign of the pagan¨(1954) by Douglas Sirk with Jack Palance , Jeff Chandler , Ludmilla Tchérina , Moroni Olsen . And ¨The Nibelungos , vengeance of Siegfried¨ (1967) by Harald Reinl with Herbert Lom as Attila .
