Boudica (2003) (4 Stars)

Boudica, sometimes called Boadicea, is a warrior queen who fought against the Romans in the first Century AD. Unlike later kings, who are the subject of myth, there are detailed records of her, written by Roman scholars. Whether you love or hate the Romans, you have to give them credit for keeping accurate records. We know trivial details about everything they did in Britain for the 400 years that they occupied the country, but after their departure the Dark Ages began. For instance, King Arthur was a famous British king, but today's scholars can't decide whether he really existed. There are no doubts about Boudica.

Boudica was married to Prasutagus, the King of the tribe of the Iceni, located on the East coast of England. The Romans came to Prasutagus to make a peace treaty with him, promising to support him in his wars against the other tribes. At first he agreed to the treaty, despite the objections of his wife. After a year it became obvious that Rome intended to make slaves out of the Iceni. When Parsutagus died, Boudica became Queen. After a victory against the Roman garrison stationed on her land, she united the other tribes in battling the Romans. There were several spectacular victories, but she was finally defeated somewhere in central England. The exact location of her defeat is unclear, but it was in an open field somewhere near today's town of Northampton.

Over the centuries Boudica has been upheld as a symbol of national pride. There's a statue of her on a chariot in the centre of London opposite Big Ben. Her image influenced the representation of Britannia when she was portrayed on the first 50 pence coins in 1969.

Boudica is played by Alex Kingston. I know her well after seeing her play River Song in "Doctor Who", but this is the first time I've seen her in a film. She's a skilled actress, as she proves in her fight scenes. She hasn't made many films. She's an actress who's appeared mostly on television.

The film is out of print on DVD. The story of Boudica has been filmed several times, either called "Bousica" or "Warrior Queen".