For my second installment of procrastination, I watched the 2014 movie Pompeii from Sony Pictures. In contrast to the always enjoyable experience that is Gladiator, Pompeii was fairly forgettable. It centers around the city of Pompeii (shocking, I know), which, as most of us are familiar, is built right alongside the famed Mount Vesuvius. Having watched gladiator directly before this, I’ll do a bit of a comparison. Gladiator has a simple plot, driven by understandable yet Roman desires and motivations that gives an unrealistic, but still enjoyable depiction of the Roman Empire. Pompeii on the other hand strays away from this. The movie has a forbidden love aspect between a slave-gladiator and a wealthy woman that drives the plot. However, as the plot moves on viewers slowly start to learn of what is coming. By that I mean the movie confirms exactly what every person who has ever heard the name Pompeii already knows: the mountain is going to explode. From there, there is some ok buildup, and honestly a large portion of plot that does not need to be included. In the end, and in truly shocking fashion, Milo and Cassia, our forbidden lovers, embrace as they meet their doom. The ending is as cliche as the movie is really just bland. 

We got a little bit of my favorite aspects of Gladiator in this movie. Some ok fight scenes – not comparable to Gladiator, of course, but still enjoyable, as well as a glimpse into the grandiose nature of the Roman Empire, but definitely on a lower scale. There’s also a different sense of Rome all together. In Gladiator, there is a sense of overall good in the Roman Empire, with the exception of a corrupt emperor. In Pompeii, there seems to be general corruption atop Rome, a notion that I resent as I really have come to appreciate the beauty of the Roman system over the last few months. I’ll finish with this: Am I happy I watched Pompeii instead of something else like Spartacus? Probably not. I think the movie did not do Rome justice nor did it properly scratch the procrastination itch that seems to be insatiable in the closing hours of finals.

I’ll start by saying I really appreciate the ability to sit down and watch a movie during finals week. Having seen gladiator before, the idea of a rewatch was exciting without the added bonus of procrastinating work from other classes. Gladiator is an absolute classic – a movie I consider a must watch at some point in anyone’s lifetime. The storyline is not complex; Maximus, a seemingly legendary Roman general, is chosen to be heir to the throne by emperor Marcus Aurelius. The trouble with this? Maximus is not the son of Marcus Aurelius, a title that belongs to Commodus, who naturally believes himself to be the rightful heir to the throne. Overcome by anger, Commodus attempts to kill both Aurelius and Maximus, however failing to kill Maximus, leaving only his father dead. Maximus barely survives, and is subjected to a life in slavery. As a slave, he shows great promise in the realm of gladiators, building a reputation as ‘the spaniard’. Eventually, his great success earns him a trip to the city of Rome where he is to fight in the grand coliseum. At the coliseum, after a fantastic performance, he reveals to Commodus, now the emperor, his true identity. Horrified that Maximus is not dead, Commodus challenges Maximus to finish the job. When it comes time to fight, Commodus inflict a wound that would prove to be fatal unto Maximus before their fight, only to be bested by our protagonist regardless. Maximus kills Commodus in front of all of Rome, before dying himself from the wounds previously inflicted. 

I think this movie is fantastic. There’s this really satisfying sense of vengeance that leaves the viewer happy with the outcome. Additionally, I think anyone who enjoys movies that include fighting will enjoy this movie, as the fight scenes are grand, even if they are incredibly gruesome – the movie is certainly not for the faint of heart. That said, this is definitely not the last time I watch the movie. I have seen it a few times now, and every time I have found it entertaining on multiple levels. On the most basic level, the movie is a cool display of a simple story of a man chasing a life that was taken away from him. On another level though, the movie is really a good demonstration of the grandeur of the Roman Empire. A viewer gets a phenomenal look into how glorious the games and the city were, which is a really cool aspect of the movie. 

All in all, definitely a high quality movie and a good recommendation for a friend.