Film

Horrible Histories: The Movie — Rotten Romans

Name: Horrible Histories: The Movie — Rotten Romans
Genre: Comedy, Family, Adventure
Released: 2019
Cast: Sebastian Croft, Emilia Jones, Kate Nash, Nick Frost, Craig Roberts

A brash Roman teenager gets exiled to Britain and befriends a fierce Celtic girl, then finds himself on opposite sides of history's most famous revolt. It's Horrible Histories' anarchic energy translated to screen: crude jokes, slapstick, wild anachronisms, and genuine affection for making the past feel immediate and ridiculous. Perfect for kids who think history is secretly hilarious.

TMDb rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy history taught as gleefully silly sketches, with bright anachronistic jokes and a cheeky feel that never stops to apologise for itself.

Skip it if you find British-set kids' comedy too broad, since the gags land loudly and the whole thing leans on bodily slapstick and constant noise over subtle wit.

What it asks of you: Around ninety-two minutes and light on the brain strain: scenes come and go briskly, and it expects you to keep up without much settling in.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The School of Rock2003

Jack Black's manic energy and genuine care for his weird misfits creates the same blend: irreverent comedy with a beating heart underneath. Both films let their chaos serve something sincere.

But It's not a history film, and it's aimed at a slightly older crowd. The tone is more grounded and less purely anarchic than Rotten Romans.

The Kid Who Would Be King2019

British period-adventure comedy that respects its young cast while letting them be genuinely funny. Same year, same spirit of making history feel like it could happen to your friends.

But Darker and more serious at its core. If you came for pure silliness, this one has actual stakes and moments that genuinely matter.

Camp Takota2014

Ensemble comedy with the same scrappy, nobody-has-their-life-together energy. Lots of jokes landing amid genuine weirdness, and a cast you actually care about.

But Very indie and very small-scale. It's set in modern day and has no historical angle whatsoever—you're watching for tone, not content.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Horrible Histories: The Movie — Rotten Romans

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Horrible Histories2009

The film is basically Horrible Histories' cinematic graduation, but the series is where the sensibility was forged. Watching the source material shows you what's intentional and what's evolved.

The TV series that started it all—faster, cruder, more inventive than the film. Sketch show structure means ideas are denser and nothing outstays its welcome. This is the engine before it got blockbuster-sized.

But TV sketches age in ways films don't. Some bits are dated, some jokes don't land, and the production is rougher. It's scrappier than the film in ways that don't always help.

Paddington 22017

A children's film that works for everyone because the script is genuinely clever. Perfect blend of slapstick, heart, and jokes that work on multiple levels.

But It's a completely different register: gentler, warmer, less chaotic. No history, no period setting, and the humor doesn't rely on shock or anachronism.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!2012

Stop-motion chaos with the same 'throwing everything at the wall' approach to comedy. A cast of terrible pirates stumbling through period adventure with genuine invention.

But The visual style is divisive—stop-motion takes effort to watch—and the gags sometimes feel like they're fighting each other rather than building.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! poster

Matilda1996

Danny DeVito directs and stars in this adaptation that captures the same love of clever, weird kids who see adults as obstacles to outsmart. Pure joy in being a misfit.

But It's a fantasy of childhood wish-fulfillment, not historical comedy. If you want anarchic energy grounded in real events, this is pure magic-land.

The Lego Movie2014

Relentless, fast-paced comedy that actually respects intelligence. Jokes layered in jokes, slapstick that lands, and genuine affection for its characters beneath the madness.

But No grounding in anything real. It's pure invention and gag-density—if you want story or history to anchor the chaos, you're out of luck.

Spy Kids2001

Robert Rodriguez's family action-comedy treats kids as smart and capable while still letting things get ridiculous. Fast, inventive, genuinely funny, and the stakes feel real.

But Early 2000s CGI hasn't aged gracefully, and the tone is more action-adventure than pure comedy. You're here for thrills as much as laughs.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail1975

Both films use period settings as a playground for ridicule, but Python attacks history to expose bullshit. Rotten Romans just wants to make you laugh while teaching. Completely different register, same fundamental irreverence.

The DNA of British period comedy absurdism. Same irreverence toward history, same willingness to make the past ridiculous and anachronistic. It's anarchic and surprisingly smart about medieval life.

But Made in 1975 and it shows. The humor is confrontational and weird in ways modern comedy isn't. If you want jokes that land sweetly, this is not it.