Review of Pompeii (2014) by Quincytheodore — 13 Mar 2014

It squanders the potential of its cast and relatively fresh visual for cheap imitation of Titanic's plot. The story of Pompeii is about the titular doomed city which was erased by a disastrous volcanic eruption, somehow this translated into a pauper boy and noble lady forbidden love plot with average gladiatorial bouts. Trying to utilize many popular elements and mix it with thin script, the movie only succeeds in making the inevitable destruction more enjoyable because its story is so shallow, mindless fiery doom is counted as a release.

Pompeii actually has good assembly, such as Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Emily Browning (Elder sister from A Series of Unfortunate Events), Carrie Anne Moss and Keifer Sutherland. In a poor choice of decision, the movie gives them a vanilla script instead of more profound content. The main offender is how blatantly mediocre its love story is, anyone who ever laid eyes on any soap opera would immediately realize the two main characters would fall in love within two awkward eye contacts, might as well make them bump each other while carrying stacks of paper.

The two lovebirds act in tedious manner, the actors are capable of so much more, but here they almost seem as if they’re phoning their lines. It goes on to incredibly familiar territory of a longing, passionate romance barred by social prejudice and angry tyrant, which is played by Kiefer Sutherland, who oddly delivers his painful fake accent. He sounds very uncomfortable, not to mention doesn't exude any menacing threats. If any, his character in 24 was more intense as a angry protagonist than this half-hearted excuse of a villain. His Roman battalion could've been random extras from Spartacus.

Gladiator subplot is also present, but don't expected weighty aspect of slavery or social difference. Pompeii has very simplistic ideas about sword-swinging slave versus vilified Romans. It almost creates some decent backstory in Atticus character, but the love triangle plot proves to be more important. Action is rather lackluster, another wasted opportunity considering its big budget. Fights tend to be similar to others periodic movies or TV shows. It doesn't offer tricky choreography or smooth transition, the combat is merely there, unimpressively.

Lazy story aside, the movie redemption lies in its CGI destruction. While throwing a bunch of money in this department bears fruit, the effects are not different much from what disaster movies have done in recent decade. This unfortunately doesn't overcome its uninspiring script, the lack of vigor as actors try their hardest to look interested and any cliché convenient screenplay, so old they may have been written before the actual event of the movie. Pompeii is a disaster by any means.