Pompeii

Don’t believe all the negative reviews you might have read about Paul W.S. Anderson’s Pompeii. 

I, myself, was wondering what kind of story was created around this terrible natural disaster.  But, Writers Lee and Janet Scott Batchler, along with Michael Robert Johnson have crafted an interesting story about a young gladiator, known as The Celt (Kit Harington), who, as a boy, witnessed his family killed by a, now, Roman Senator (Keifer Sutherland). 

Sold into slavery, the boy has, 17 years later, become the greatest gladiator in Londinium (Britain) and has been brought to fight in Pompeii, which is a first century holiday resort for Romans.  

Of course, timing is everything and this timing is ambivalent, at best.  The good news is that the Senator is in Pompeii, chasing after a noblewoman (Emily Browning), who becomes enamored with The Celt.  That provides an opportunity for vengeance.  But, the bad news is that it’s 79 A.D. and Mount Vesuvius is about to pop.

There hasn’t been a good gladiator movie since The Gladiator, so young (and old) thriller fans, who are interested in this genre, should enjoy this film.  The action is thrilling and the effects are excellent.  Plus, unlike many other 3D movies, Pompeii makes good uses of this medium.

I give Pompeii a 4 out of 5.