Rome - Series 1 DVD > Reviews > ROME - Authentic, bloody and terrifically written

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	The best of both worlds, intrigue and combat
Disadvantages:	This is not an action film .  Some that expect this will be dissapointed .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Rome is a lavish production on a scale arguably not seen since the days of pre-CGI. Tremendous effort has been made to ensure authenticity in period costume and architectural design all the way down to graffiti on the walls! The 12 hourly episodes that comprise the first series revolve around Julius Ceasar's crossing of the rubicon, defeat of Pompey and subsequent rise to absolute power.

All these events happen within a maelstrom of ruthless political manoevering, not only within the senate but also between the women that sit in the shadows behind the overt powers. Although there is not a weak performance from any of the regular cast, Polly Walker in particular deserves mention for her portrayal of Atia of the Julii.

Rome has an almost exclusively British cast, and what a cast it is too. Ciarán Hinds (Munich) as Caesar, James Purefoy (V for Vendetta) as Mark Anthony, Kevin McKidd (Dog soldiers) as Lucius Vorenus and Ray Stevenson (King Arthur) as Titus Pullo among others.

Now some of you who've not seen the series may by now be thinking that Rome is similar in structure to "I Claudius" rather than the far more action oriented "Gladiator". Well, here's the good news. Rome is the best of both worlds, posessing a fine script well executed but also several battle sequences and one particular event in particular that pull no punches in terms of the sheer brutality of hand-to-hand combat in scenes that stay long in the memories of the viewer.

Whirling within this maelstrom are a pair of soldiers, Lucius and Titus. Diametric opposites, they become firm friends. By the end of the 12 hours both have experienced pain, loss and disillusionment. Despite the deliberate flaws in their respective personalities, you care about what happens to them both. You really feel it and this is the acid test of any such series.

For those that did not see the series when it aired on the BBC, this DVD box set has none of the BBC editing controversy where language was suprisingly removed and three episodes edited into one. That fact alone will mean viewers of series one will also be buying this set as I have.

This six-DVD set therefore contains all twelve-episode run of Season One.

• "The Stolen Eagle"
• "How Titus Pullo Brought Down the Republic"
• "An Owl In a Thornbush"
• "Stealing From Saturn"
• "The Ram Has Touched The Wall"
• "Egeria"
• "Pharsalus"
• "Caesarion"
• "Utica"
• "Triumph"
• "The Spoils"
• "Kalends of February"

Special features:
• Audio commentaries from members of the cast and crew
• 'All Roads Lead To Rome': an interactive onscreen guide for all 12 episodes with insightful historical facts about ancient Rome prepared by the series' historical consultant Jonathan Stamp
• 'Friends, Romans, Countrymen: an introduction to the characters (15 mins)
• 'Shot x Shot - Gladiator': a 'making of' documentary on the thrilling episode 11 fight sequence (40 mins)
• 'Shot x Shot - Triumph Of Caesar': a 'making of' documentary chronicling the epic episode 10 triumph scene (40 mins)
• 'The Rise Of Rome': a behind-the-scenes featurette on sets, wardrobe and actors' boot camp (25 mins)
• 'When In Rome': a featurette on the culture of ancient Rome
• Photo gallery featuring 50 previously unseen images
• Character guide

Season two is in production due out in 2007.  

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