Paul Fields

Great actors but slow moving and weak script. Love the dynamite arrow s and the Lewis gun!

My brother and me have been looking forward to seeing this film and we watched it this afternoon . Firstly a couple of negatives before lots of positives. -1 . We are history buffs and there was a lot of wild historical inaccuracy . Some of this was to create a great unfolding plot so can be redeemed . -2 you could be out off watching any further by the scene where the gladiators are attacked by a pack of hungry baboons with dog like bodies and teeth! The rhino too I would think would be untrainable as a cavalry mount. Now the positives! +1 The battle scene at the beginning is a match for the battle at the beginning of Gladiator (1) . The set piece and 1 To 1 combats are also brilliant and very graphic!!! This is , as a thought a film to see on the big screen like dune and Napoleon , and gladiator (G1) +2 The actors are great . In G1 I found Richard Harris tiresome with his customary overacting and to some extent Russell crowe as well , even though he's not like that in most of his films. Phoenix and Jacobi were brilliant . In G2 the acting is mostly gritty and realistic. Denzil is great and is so central to the developing plot..... I think he was a Roman politician in a previous life!!!! The brother emperors were excellent , especially the underdog with his pet monkey (marmazette?)which he treat like a spoilt baby And then made first senator of Rome!!!!! +3 what impressed me most was the original and subtly developed plot . At first impression, what looked like a cliche film , developed into a very captivating one. Great to see Denzil as a bad boy for a change! +4 At danger of becoming a wind bag , I will just say that , it was refreshing to see warriors using the correct weapons in an authentic way . The short stabbing sword was well coriographed as was the longer cavalry sword . None of this pure fantasy where swords are thrown . Ancient soldiers had perfectly good javelins for that job. I'm giving the film 75% minimum . Please go and see it at the cinema .