With the failure of this film and the failure of the last HERCULES film with Kellan Lutz it seems the new wave of PEPLUM films are not capturing the audience's imagination.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
POMPEII : disastrous on all fronts
With the failure of this film and the failure of the last HERCULES film with Kellan Lutz it seems the new wave of PEPLUM films are not capturing the audience's imagination.
I just got back from seeing the film. It was a somewhat rushed script. Not much happened between a lot people doing a lot of talking. The hero is wearing a kilt at this exhibition (the first where we are introduced to him) because he is still out in the sticks, before being discovered and bought as a slave to be taken to Pompeii, where there actually was a smaller gladiator school for fights taken place in a small Colosseum, although the fights were never to the death because the gladiators were too valuable for that. The best part of the film was the eruption of Vesuvius, although accurate as to how it has exploded in the past, was inaccurate as to how it destroyed Pompeii when it did. The film had it throwing lava bombs into the city, plus a tsunami, even. This never happened. The city had days of warning for the people to leave, and many of them did, including Pliny the Younger and his Dad the Older, who went back and got caught by the demise of the town via an ash flow and poisonous gases, but never mind. It was a nice volcanic show for sure. I was in a big theater all by myself, and all alone. So, I'm not surprised for the low box office. Oh, and the bad guy was Kiefer Sutherland, believe it or not. I guess he was just looking for a paycheck.
ReplyDeleteThis movie would of been better served if it was a made for TV only. Muddled script, eruption was nice, but like Steve said not accurate. I was sitting in theater with 300 stadium seats and there was a about 25-30 people in attendance. Maybe SON OF GOD, NOAH, and the other HERCULES will do much better. Still I say that they don't make them like they did years ago.
ReplyDeleteI have found very little to like in the modern peplums, apart from Scott's "Gladiator". On the other hand, there's lots to like in the old, original peplums; from the Italian lower-budgeted productions, to Hollywood behemoths like "Ben Hur". I can't put my finger on what the missing ingredients are in the latter-day films, but something vital is not there.
ReplyDeleteThanks Steven for the overview. For me I personally avoid anything with Keifer Sutherland. It's just a matter of personal taste. The kilt seems silly even if he's 'out in the sticks'. Hollywood revisionistic bs. Must have been weird to be alone in a theatre.
ReplyDeleteOrsh, Richard, yes they don't make them as they use to. Like I mentioned at Facebook post, I wish today's PEPLUM films were as fun and entertaining as those from the Golden Era. They had all the ingredients including being entertaining which few modern PEPLUM seem to be. I could watch the same old PEPLUM film over and over and never get bored while today's super serious treatment of these films are forgettable.
I've just seen the movie (yes, it took me a lot but I was kind of reluctant... and should remained). It is, as you gently say, a disaster in all orders. The only thing I liked was the eruption, even though it lasted for hours... the script is ridiculous, when did Pompeii become non-Roman? what happened with all the people during the last, endless, prosecution scene? who was the mind that thought Kiefer Sutherland could be right for the part??? I can only save Carrie-Anne Moss, even though she looked like a bored Park Avenue matron throwing a party. I'm going to see the "Last Days of Pompeii" '84 TV miniseries to take away this bitter taste. Thanks for your fabulous blog!
ReplyDelete