Pompeii (2014, Kit Harington, Kiefer Sutherland) – Movie Review

And 2014 brings Paul W.S. Anderson’s movie Pompeii. It opened in America on 24 February 2014 to poor reviews and did poor business, costing $100million and taking only $23million in America. Its UK opening was on April 30 2014.

Kit Harington (Jon Snow in Game of Thrones) plays Milo, a slave turned invincible gladiator who must try to save his true love Cassia (Emily Browning) as Vesuvius erupts and the city of Pompeii crumbles around them. Giving the film an ignominious one star, Time Out said the film is cheesy and Harington played the role ‘with a six-pack and five fewer facial expressions’.

Pompeii also stars Kiefer Sutherland as corrupt Roman senator Corvus who is trying to force Cassia to marry him. Carrie-Anne Moss, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica Lucas and Jared Harris co-star.

The film uses the works of Pliny the Younger and starts with scenes of the bodies of victims of Pompeii and his quote: ‘You could hear the shrieks of women, the wailing of infants, and the shouting of men; some were calling their parents, others their children or their wives, trying to recognize them by their voices. People bewailed their own fate or that of their relatives, and there were some who prayed for death in their terror of dying. Many besought the aid of the gods, but still more imagined there were no gods left, and that the universe was plunged into eternal darkness for evermore.’

Harington underwent potent training to bulk up for the role, going to the gym three times a day for six days a week: ‘I wanted to do a body transformation. I became obsessed with it. I was becoming exhausted.’ Harington starred as Albert in the original West End production of War Horse (2008-09).

The German-Canadian co-production was shot in Toronto, Ontario, from March to July 2013. It is the fourth time that Anderson has used 3D cameras. The depiction of the eruption in the film is based on eruptions that have occurred all over the world over the last ten years. The construction of the city in the film was based on the actual ruins of Pompeii.

It follows famous movie versions of the story in 1935 with Basil Rathbone and in 1959 with Steve Reeves and a TV mini-series in 1984 with Nicholas Clay, all as The Last Days of Pompeii. And Frankie Howerd spoofed the situation in Up Pompeii (1971).

Harington says in May 2014: ‘I don’t go thinking, right, I’m going to be more heart-throbby today. I’m going to keep my BMW for a year or two and enjoy my mid-life crisis at 27 so I don’t have one at 45. I need time off for myself, for my soul. Otherwise I’m going to crash and burn.’

http://derekwinnert.com/the-last-days-of-pompeii-1959-steve-reeves-classic-film-review-921/

http://derekwinnert.com/up-pompeii-1971-frankie-howerd-classic-film-review-1210/

http://derekwinnert.com/avp-alien-vs-predator-classic-film-review-564/

(C) Derek Winnert 2014 Film Review 921 derekwinnert.com

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more film reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/