Horrible Histories: the Movie - Rotten Romans

The first official Horrible Histories movie (after 2015's loosely associated Bill) wears its Python-esque absurdism proudly. Regular players from the TV show take a back seat to more famous faces, though a pair of teenagers drive the narrative: an aspiring Iceni warrior (Emilia Jones) and reluctant Roman soldier (Sebastian Croft), coming of age against a backdrop of Boudicca's rebellion. Good gags are plentiful and, if the kids are po-faced, the adults give it some comedic welly. Craig Roberts is a hilariously insecure Emperor Nero, facing-off against Kim Cattrall, as his scheming mother, while Kate Nash's Boudicca becomes a swaggering rock star. The songs on the whole are terrific, The Battle of Watling Street foremost among them - a rousing rap battle that perfectly illustrates the franchise's gift for blending education with anarchy.