“Pompeii” Explodes Into Theaters

Warning: There are spoilers in this movie review. 

Finally, there is a historically-based movie about the Mount Vesuvius eruption in Pompeii. The movie, “Pompeii” was released to theaters February 21.

Featuring Kit Harington as Milo and Emily Browning as Cassia, the film takes places in 79 CE in Pompeii, Italy during the city’s terrifying volcanic eruption. Milo is a Celtic gladiator, whose family was slaughtered by a Roman Senator when he was a small boy. Now, as a strong, fierce gladiator, he catches the eye of Cassia, the daughter of Pompeii elite Severus.

However, Cassia also has caught the eye of crooked Roman Senator Corvus, who slaughtered Milo’s family. Although Cassia left Rome to escape from him, Corvus follows her back to Pompeii where he notices her love for Milo. He then forces and threatens Cassia’s father for her hand in marriage.

The true love story slowly develops through the movie as the Pompeii residents prepare for gladiator games. In these games, Milo and gladiator champion Atticus are shackled to a large, wooden pole to be slaughtered by their fellow gladiators in a game in front of the Roman Senator.

As Milo and Atticus triumph through the game, Pompeii and its residents witness the explosion of the volcano after days of small earthquakes. As the entire city is taken into chaos, Milo must rush to save Cassia from Corvus’ hands and save her from the terrifying doom of the volcanic eruption.

Thousands of lives are lost as the volcano rains volcanic rock and ash from the sky, preparing for its final act of destruction. Just as Milo rescues Cassia from the falling building she is trapped inside, Corvus takes Cassia back. Milo must then fight him in order to free his love from crooked and murderous hands.

In a deadly chase throughout the destructing city, Milo chases Corvus to the end of the city nearest to the base of the volcano. It is here that the two fight until Milo shackles Corvus to a building. Milo rushes Cassia out of the city limits as the volcano erupts his deadly lava.

Although the couple survives its destruction so far, no one can outrun the volcano’s murderous rampage. As the volcano’s lava rushes towards them, they find their personal salvation in one another’s arms and kiss while they await their death.

Despite the commercials of the movie on television depicting the “love triumphs all” notion, the movie burns that notion by showing no one can survive nature’s volcanic destruction. The couple survived everything in their way except for the flaming lava that killed them.

The movie was a glorious reenactment of what the Mount Vesuvius eruption would have looked like and how the Pompeii residents may have acted. Because its residents were living in the first century, they lack the knowledge of what the earthquakes and tremors meant. They perceived the eruption as a punishment from their gods.

The film makers did a wonderful job on the special effects of the eruption and its impact. Unlike movies like “300,” the movie perfectly reenacted the gladiator scenes with just enough blood to make a point, but not enough to gross the audience out.

The movie had a brilliant and talented cast. Kit Harington is famous for his role on the HBO series “Game of Thrones.” His portrayal of a Roman gladiator adds a gentle, more humane side of gladiators. Emily Browning, famous for “Sucker Punch” and “Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events,” gives our idea of an elite’s daughter a more kind and caring side.