"Pompeii 3D"

As a lover of the disaster movies of the 1970's, this was must see viewing for me. Now given what I have seen in the trailer, and given that it is Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, I had a feeling that I would not be getting a history lesson, and that it may be best to leave my brain in the foyer.

And indeed if one does that, then this may be a relatively entertaining visit.

The film opens with an attack on a British village by the Romans. All are believed to have been killed. But one young boy has survived, and as is understandable he seeks revenge. He is captured and ends up in slavery. Eventually he finds his way to Italy, and over the years he trains and is seen as a decent Gladiator. His skills are to be shown in the arena, during a tournament, which will be the showcase of a visit by a noble Senator. Local Business man Severus wants to show off the beauty of Pompeii so that the Senate in Rome will finance the building of a huge Colliseum in Pompeii. But Senator Corvus had designs on the daughter of Severus. And the daughter, Cassia, and Slave cum Gladiator Milo have designs on each other. And all this whilst there are rumblings from the local hilltop. Could it be a sign of things to come?

Milo and new best friend Atticus are proving popular in the arena, but Romans are wanting to end their popular reign. Will Milo get the girl?  Will Severus get his new Colliseum? Will the mountain blow its top?
Certainly the answer to the last question is an emphatic yes, and in great cinematic style. The whole look of the film is very good, from mean and moody shots of a rainy Britain, what changes, to the lavish look of Pompeii. And of course when Vesuvius erupts, the visual effects go up a notch or two.
The plot is a sideline to the effects driven finale. It is ok but is never going to win any writing awards. The characters again are average, the cast do a good job of making them two dimensional. Sutherland is hamming it up for all its worth and is good fun.

It does get a little proposterous towards the end, but hey, as I said, leave your brain at the door, and you may just enjoy it, but it's not Dante's Peak........6 out of 10