In Bucharest, Romania, the priceless breastplate of Attila, the Hun is robbed from the National Museum of Antiquities by a gang leaded by the despicable Marcus Cutter, and the curator Radu is killed by one of the thieves. Meanwhile, in New York City, the former assistant of Professor Radu, Dr. Samantha Gaines, is waiting for the valuable piece for an exhibition. The agent Jake Adams visits Samantha in the museum to tell about the heist and the death of her friend, and she tells about the legend that the breastplate would have the inscription of the location of the Sword of Mars, which is guarded by Cerberus and made Attila invincible. When Samantha’s brother and addicted gambler Jack is kidnapped, she believes his debt of US$ 2,000.00 could be the reason, and travels to Romania invited by the evil kidnapper Kul Jae Sung, getting involved in a supernatural adventure with Jake.

My Review:

First of all, this is a somewhat violent film with ample blood and gore to be sure.  Actually, I was expecting more than there was. If you think along the lines of the Orcs and battles of the Lord of the Rings, that is about what you will see. The profanity is very mild, and there are no bedroom scenes. In fact, there is no romance. Just know that if you are intimidated by blood and gore, this movie might be too much for you. It is intense, but I didn’t even have to look away. Maybe I am becoming callous, but I doubt it.

Well, that should capture your attention–it certainly did mine. Permit me to introduce you to Cerberus, the three-headed dog of legend. To be honest, I knew nothing of this legend before the film. I realize it goes into the world of the occult, but for me, that is no different from all the other fantasy movies out there. The special effects associated with this dog and its attack were quite acute at times. In fact, at one point, I was so wrapped up in the film that I didn’t notice my cat near me. At one of the disturbing scenes, my cat jumped up suddenly, and that startled me more than anything in the movie.  On a side note, I was concerned that possibly this three-headed dog would bring back painful memories of the horrendous moment I was attacked by a dog (If you’d like to, you can read that story here), but I am happy to report that did not occur.  Cerberus bears no resemblance to the dog that sunk its teeth into my leg.

First of all, let’s look at the true villain in this film–Marcus Cutter played skillfully by Greg Evigan. I feel like I should be familiar with this actor, but then again, I am very much out of the loop. Regardless, I can say that he accurately portrays this evil character.  I was convinced of who he was the moment he appeared on the screen, and his seeming invincibility was overwhelming.  About the time I thought that this character couldn’t be more diabolical, he plummeted even lower. In spite of the devastation brought about by Cerberus, I think that this character is responsible for even more bloodshed than that canine archenemy.  After all, Cerberus doesn’t have a conscience like humans are supposed to. Indeed, Marcus Cutter is practically as depraved as they come.

Again, I am out of the loop because I recognize many of the works in which Emmanuelle Vaugier has appeared, but I only know her in this film as Dr. Samantha Gaines.  And I really doubt anyone else could have been as convincing in this role.  There was no romance in any sense of the word. Actually she relates to the other characters in the film as almost an equal. Dr. Gaines and Jake Addams (Sebastian Spence) sometimes butt heads as they work together. Clearly, she is as strong and smart as her comrades–she is no fragile woman.  She is definitely no damsel in distress. She relates to Sebastian’s character as colleagues that are jockeying for top position to the delight and entertainment of the audience.

Of course, as you, dear reader, well know, this is the entire reason I viewed the film–Sebastian Spence.  In fact, I would not have chosen to watch this film had he not been in it. I was initially concerned, but it was an exhilarating watch that resonated with me in every sense of the word.  This is how we first see Sebastian’s character, Jake Addams.  But it is not long before that suit is gone for the duration of the film.

As you can see, both Jake and the professor (Dr. Gaines) are ready to do some field work on their own. Evidently, Jake and Marcus have a sordid history (that comes out in more detail later on), and unfortunately not all ends as one would like.  Be prepared for some unexpected casualties–no spoilers except to say that both sides incur some tragic losses.  Jake and Dr. Gaines have the relationship I described above.  The script was very ingeniously written–quite clever and humorous at just the right times to break up the tension.  Any film that can insert savvy humor at just the right moment always earns my utmost respect.

For me, one of the most impressive things about Sebastian’s performance in this film was his physicality. I’m not going to wax eloquent about his physique–so he has muscles, yes–but he gets to actually use them in this film. That thoroughly electrified me.  It is always a treat to see an actor of his caliber who is able to accomplish the physical demands of such a role with such dexterity.

In conclusion, this movie is the quintessential role for Sebastian to exhibit his paramount dramatic skills. As always, he completely immerses himself in this role, and he gives one of his best performances, in my humble opinion. Don’t get me wrong–I love him in everything I have seen thus far, but this is one of those movies that is distinctive and imposing in every sense of the word. In other words, this is one of those films where everything comes together at just the right time to make as close to flawless a film as possible. And my friend, Sebastian, is a sizable part of what is right with this film. This one definitely ranks up towards the top of my list of preferred Sebastian Spence films.   Whatever you do, don’t let talk of the three-headed dog turn you off to what might be an phenomenal cinematic experience.

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