05-31-2014, 09:45 PM
Pompeii - The Movie
"Kill them. Kill them All." OK I've forgotten which movie that quote is from, but Kiefer Sutherland says this twice in Pompeii.
It's a film of cliches and homages, a film that messes with what really happpened in favour of a good story. Did I say a good story? Sorry, there really is no story, rebellious Pompeiian girl fancies rough gladiator 'Celt' followed by swift attempt at escape from an exploding city. That is it.
You cannot fail to compare this to Gladiator, and it compares poorly. The battle scene is a rip-off, Kiefer even exclaims that he can't remember the battle going this way .... just as in Ridley's version. Of course our hero is an uber-cool-cannot-be-killed-super-killer straight from an Anthony Riches novel, supported in spirit by a number of black slaves, from which part of the empire I really am not sure of, Egypt? Mauretania? Of course it's all just for the modern cimena-going public, but lots of the public will have been there and know that the arena wasn't decimated as in this film.
There is a single nod towards Kubrick's movie Spartacus in this film, can you spot it? The Anthony Riches super -gladiator rallies his comrades in the arena, in a direct copy of Russell Crowes' character 'General Maximus' from Gladiator. It is amusing/frustrating that the lead heroine defiatinely states (to paraphrase) "I am not a Roman, I am. Pompeian" and hates the Romans, despite bring thoroughly Roman herself...... again, its a modern sensibility of Washington versus the States, Big Evil Government versus the honest little people at the edge.
I expected to like this movie, even though there might be a few inaccuracies. But it was dire, I give it a generous 2 out of 5. It makes me cringe to think of what really could have been done with the money spent on this film.
"Kill them. Kill them All." OK I've forgotten which movie that quote is from, but Kiefer Sutherland says this twice in Pompeii.
It's a film of cliches and homages, a film that messes with what really happpened in favour of a good story. Did I say a good story? Sorry, there really is no story, rebellious Pompeiian girl fancies rough gladiator 'Celt' followed by swift attempt at escape from an exploding city. That is it.
You cannot fail to compare this to Gladiator, and it compares poorly. The battle scene is a rip-off, Kiefer even exclaims that he can't remember the battle going this way .... just as in Ridley's version. Of course our hero is an uber-cool-cannot-be-killed-super-killer straight from an Anthony Riches novel, supported in spirit by a number of black slaves, from which part of the empire I really am not sure of, Egypt? Mauretania? Of course it's all just for the modern cimena-going public, but lots of the public will have been there and know that the arena wasn't decimated as in this film.
There is a single nod towards Kubrick's movie Spartacus in this film, can you spot it? The Anthony Riches super -gladiator rallies his comrades in the arena, in a direct copy of Russell Crowes' character 'General Maximus' from Gladiator. It is amusing/frustrating that the lead heroine defiatinely states (to paraphrase) "I am not a Roman, I am. Pompeian" and hates the Romans, despite bring thoroughly Roman herself...... again, its a modern sensibility of Washington versus the States, Big Evil Government versus the honest little people at the edge.
I expected to like this movie, even though there might be a few inaccuracies. But it was dire, I give it a generous 2 out of 5. It makes me cringe to think of what really could have been done with the money spent on this film.
Paul Elliott
Legions in Crisis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/17815...d_i=468294
Charting the Third Century military crisis - with a focus on the change in weapons and tactics.
Legions in Crisis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/17815...d_i=468294
Charting the Third Century military crisis - with a focus on the change in weapons and tactics.