A rather poor historical epic, Dragon Blade is more myth than history, and it’s not told very well. Set in 50 BC, a rogue Roman legion on the run seeks shelter at the Wild Geese Gate at the end of the Silk Road, connecting Europe and Asia, in exchange for help in finishing the outpost’s construction. The film is extremely heavy-handed with its theme of unity and working together, going so far as to have soldiers bond over a dance-like competition. And the dialog is just as thudding and ham-fisted. The bad acting doesn’t help either, though leads Jackie Chan, John Cusack, and Adrien Brody do what they can. Also, Chan’s fight choreography/directing is pretty good and delivers a number of exciting action sequences. Dragon Blade has its moments, but it tries too hard and ends up being a mess.