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Pompeii -The Movie
#1
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.
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.
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#2
Thanks for saving me $5.99 US. It looked bad, but I never imagined how bad it could be!
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#3
Thanks and no thanks! Wink
Virilis / Jyrki Halme
PHILODOX
Moderator
[Image: fectio.png]
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#4
Thanks for the critique. Not a problem. I gave up on Hollywood historicals about 15 years ago. I do like Chinese ones. More imagination. Better cinemaphotographers. REAL PEOPLE. ;-) :whistle:

"Kill them all!" ?

I'd like to hear variations on the theme:

"Kill them all, totally!"
"Mostly kill them all!"
"Just kill the ugly ones!"
"Don't bother to kill any of them. They're already dead!" Confusedmile:
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
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#5
Kill the fat ones.
Kill everyone who has seen the Sound of Music more than 4 times.
Kill the ones on their cell phones.
Kill the ones that heated fish in the microwave.
Kill the ones that let their dogs poop on my lawn.
Kill ones that send Candy Crush invites on facebook.


Quote:Thanks for the critique. Not a problem. I gave up on Hollywood historicals about 15 years ago. I do like Chinese ones. More imagination. Better cinemaphotographers. REAL PEOPLE. ;-) :whistle:

"Kill them all!" ?

I'd like to hear variations on the theme:

"Kill them all, totally!"
"Mostly kill them all!"
"Just kill the ugly ones!"
"Don't bother to kill any of them. They're already dead!" Confusedmile:
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#6
Hmmm...I thought the point of a film about Pompeii is that the volcano manages to kill them all? Just goes to show...
Moi Watson

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
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#7
Quote:Hmmm...I thought the point of a film about Pompeii is that the volcano manages to kill them all? Just goes to show...
da da da da da da da da

well is Hollywood so full of surprises

kill the ones who drink beer

cheers
Gelu
-----------------
Gelu I.
www.terradacica.ro
www.porolissumsalaj.ro
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#8
Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius.
Original: Kill them. For the Lord knows those that are His own.
Modern: Kill them all; let God sort them out.

Phrase allegedly spoken by Papal legate and Cistercian abbot Arnaud Amalric prior to the Massacre at Béziers, the first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade, 1204.
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
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#9
I totally agree with Mithras. I had high hopes.....okay, that's a lie. I had moderate hopes for this film, but sheesh, what a cliche-riddled shoot-em-up movie. Keifer is so mean, vindictive and pompous to the point of laughability. The so-called plot spends more time on personal revenge and a by-the-book love story than anything remotely historical. Clearly this was produced for uninformed Americans who expect gladiatorial brutality in any film about ancient Rome. Too bad.

P.S. Avoid the 3D version if at all possible. We had no choice, and I'm still dreaming of flaming rocks landing all around me!

Dave
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#10
I'm not normally a ranter, I try and find something in most ancient movies and generally enjoy them. It's film, and the audience usually needs some kind of buy in, an old movie title (remake), a famous event, a famous person, etc. I enjoyed Gladiator, Centurion, The Eagle, Troy, even King Arthur had some good bits.

I expected some over the top heroics, a gladiator story that was different to Ridley's version, a great and accurate rendition of Pompeii (because lots and lots of tourists ie. Movie goers) have actually been there. I expected a very scary and dramatic reconstruction of the volcano, because, you know, there have been documentaries recreating it accurately for twenty years.

But, instead, hundreds of fireballs from the sky, no rain of ash, the amphithreatre destroyed by earthquake crushing all the audience, and a chasm opeining up in the arena, of course there is a tsunami as well, washing oared galleys up the street .... And the city itself is not really depicted apart from the aforementioned amphitheatre and the temple of Jupiter, the steps of which vorm the backdrop for the final duel. I had hoped for a James Cameron-style tour of Pompeii, as he had done in Titanic, with plot ocurring in the famous bits of the city.... Including the Lupercalia!!

Sadly, no.

The worst part of this is that if it flops, no-one will touch this subject again for another 20 years for fear of being tarred by the same brush. Thats why I hate awful movies about subjects I love .... It puts producers and backers off of investing in something similar.
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.
Reply
#11
Quote:Hmmm...I thought the point of a film about Pompeii is that the volcano manages to kill them all? Just goes to show...

It would have somewhat neat if, during the entire movie, we would find several "guest scenes" of Pliny the Elder wandering about, wearing a surgical mask and taking notes for his Historia. Confusedilly:
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#12
Quote:Kill the fat ones.
Kill everyone who has seen the Sound of Music more than 4 times.
Kill the ones on their cell phones.
Kill the ones that heated fish in the microwave.
Kill the ones that let their dogs poop on my lawn.
Kill ones that send Candy Crush invites on facebook.


Alanus post=355710 Wrote:Thanks for the critique. Not a problem. I gave up on Hollywood historicals about 15 years ago. I do like Chinese ones. More imagination. Better cinemaphotographers. REAL PEOPLE. ;-) :whistle:

"Kill them all!" ?

I'd like to hear variations on the theme:

"Kill them all, totally!"
"Mostly kill them all!"
"Just kill the ugly ones!"
"Don't bother to kill any of them. They're already dead!" Confusedmile:

Hahaa! Thanks for a good laugh you two! :lol:

Qui sepeliunt capita sua in terra, deos volantes non videbunt.
--Flavius Flav 
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#13
Let's face it, practically everything coming out of Hollywood these days is utter trash. At least the cable movie stations have picked up the baton with the likes of Band of Brothers, Rome, GoT, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men, etc.

I'm glad I steered clear of this travesty. My father saw it and said the same thing (even though he's not as into Rome as I am) - "its really bad!"
Alexander
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#14
Don't forget this one-- "Kill the director."

Just for grins. According to the Tomatometer, 28 % of the critics liked this flick.
Here are some of their comments:

"Finally, Mount Vesuvius erupts in a fury, possibly in response to the dialogue it has been forced to hear, and all of Pompeii resembles an explosion in a crematorium."

"Is it wrong to root for the volcano?"

"It's not just the ancient Roman city that gets burned to the ground here-- careers are also incinerated."

Wink :unsure: :dizzy:
Alan J. Campbell

member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians

Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)

"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
             Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
Reply
#15
Disaster movie or Movie disaster. You decide! :-D
Robert Vermaat
MODERATOR
FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
Reply


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