Pompeii 2014

     This story is based on the destruction of Pompeii but there is a lot of fill in to have more of a story.  Milo saw his family killed along with many others when he was captured by a Roman.  He is now a gladiator, he must do battle in the arena and he knows he will be lucky to stay alive.   Atticus is also a gladiator who has become a champion in the arena.  Since he is a champion, they have promised that he will be free after the next battle.  Atticus wants to believe that this will happen but Milo has told him that this will never happen.  When he goes into the area, he sees he must battle many men to be free.  Even after both Milo and Atticus win the battle, the Roman Senator Corvus wants them put to death.  Corvus was also the leader of the Roman battalion that killed Milo's family.  Only the chants from the crowd to set them free allow Atticus to go free.  Corvus sends in a Roman soldier to eliminate Milo and he is, of course, the man who murdered Milo's family.  The reason for his death is because Milo has become friends with Cassia and the Senator is forcing Cassia to become his wife.  Everything begins to unravel when Mount Vesuvius has a tremendous eruption in AD 79. 

     There is a lot of action in the film but the story is weak with nothing new.  The action may be even better in 3D?  It does cause you to become like one of the spectators in the viewing area and the feeling remains when the power of the eruption rises to it's full display.  2 1/2* (This movie is so-so)

105 min, action directed by Paul W.S. Anderson with Kit Harington, Carrie-Ann Moss, Emily Browning, Kiefer Sutherland, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica Lucas, Jared Harris, Joe Pingue.

Note:  Imdb 5.6 out of 10, 29% critic 36% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 2 1/2*.