This movie had so much potential. As far as historical dramas go, there are few that have as many elements of love, anger, envy, and betrayal as that of the rise and fall of the second triumvirate. And then you think of the key historical players - in the shadows of Alexander the Great, comes an eager ruler in Julius Caesar caught in a love-triangle with his right-hand man Marc Antony and Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra; rising up to avenge the murder of his adoptive father, Augustus wins the favor of the Roman people and chases Antony and Cleopatra to their demise, becoming the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. With a set-up like that, how could it possible go wrong? Easily - the movie runs way too long and the dialogue, while cleverly written, comes off more as Shakespearan rather than film. However, the story is well-told, the costumes and the cinematography are phenomenal, and the acting lived up to the top-billed cast. If the movie were trimmed by an hour, it could have been the best film of the year.
Movie looks stunning on Blu Ray. Great cinematography, costumes, it all looks terrific....but..........the movie is loooooooooooooooooong and becomes dull.........and still there are story gaps. The making of documentary is more interesting than the actual movie
Add your comment
Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Xondar
It's fun to watch the sets and spectacle, but other than that, this is such a boring film.Unfortunate Synopsis
This movie had so much potential. As far as historical dramas go, there are few that have as many elements of love, anger, envy, and betrayal as that of the rise and fall of the second triumvirate. And then you think of the key historical players - in the shadows of Alexander the Great, comes an eager ruler in Julius Caesar caught in a love-triangle with his right-hand man Marc Antony and Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra; rising up to avenge the murder of his adoptive father, Augustus wins the favor of the Roman people and chases Antony and Cleopatra to their demise, becoming the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. With a set-up like that, how could it possible go wrong? Easily - the movie runs way too long and the dialogue, while cleverly written, comes off more as Shakespearan rather than film. However, the story is well-told, the costumes and the cinematography are phenomenal, and the acting lived up to the top-billed cast. If the movie were trimmed by an hour, it could have been the best film of the year.Earring72
Movie looks stunning on Blu Ray. Great cinematography, costumes, it all looks terrific....but..........the movie is loooooooooooooooooong and becomes dull.........and still there are story gaps. The making of documentary is more interesting than the actual moviemathiasa
@sbb618: There are different versions. One is even over 5h.The one on netflix is 4h.
sbb618
Wikipedia says this film is 248 minutes. Which one is it?Dieguito
Not a good movie, surely the story has been adapted for Hollywood's ambition, making some scenes pathetic for Roman and Egyptian eras.