so, i get Netflix, and decide to burn thru a couple series. One of them being Roman Empire
I was thrilled when I saw it on Netflix, and I thought I was getting the acclaimed Roman Empire drama (I didnt know it was HBO). Yeah no. It's basically a Netflix docu-drama, and a poorly made one at that. I'm about 3/4 thru, and it's one of those series that I feel I have to finish, just because. But it's pretty bad.
From a historical standpoint, there's irritating inaccuracies and omissions. On top of that, the actors look absolutely nothing like who they are portraying. At the very least get a guy with a beard for Marcus Aurelius, ya know. The actor for Julius Caesar doesnt even have a slight resemblance. It's not like they are using A-list actors here, and need to fit the part. Find a guy with a high forehead and big nose, ya know. There's like 20 guys sitting around that are supposedly the Senate? It's laughable. But is it good television? I'd say no. The acting isnt very good, and it looks like it was cobbled together by college film students.
Every episode has characters rounding corners in slow motion, while Sean Bean rambles on in dulcet tones about them. Talking heads appear, spout a rendundant blurb along the lines of "Caesar assumed ultimate power - that is to say, he was the most powerful man in Rome".
It's so damn formulaic.
Before the end of the episode, there is guaranteed:
- One set of breasts will be displayed. Check!
- The same stock footage of architecture, people, and battles will appear. Check!
- Slow motion shots of main characters rounding corners. Check!
The stock footage is the most lazy, egregious aspect. I feel like I'm playing Dragon Age II again, and entering a new area, just to see that it's a copy/paste of the last area. The identical shots of toga wearing people walking up stairs, cheering, yelling in anger, sitting miserable in a corner, fighting amongst themselves will be displayed over and over. The same shots of nondescript warriors taking an axe to the head, getting hit with arrows, loosing arrows will play again and again, while Sean Bean rambles on. Binge-watching makes this all the more obvious, and hilarious
I gotta finish it tho. I'm on Caligula now, the Boob Squad is in high gear, and they are bound determined to really lay it on thick w/ what an insane, rotten pervert he was. I'm getting a good laugh w/ all the slo motion, so I just have to see how this wraps up.