Pompeii

Don't get me wrong, I do like a bit of nonsensical entertainment every now and then. Sometimes, there's nothing better than sitting back in a cinema seat and letting bonkers visuals, thundering explosions and ridiculous story lines sweep you along in a cinematic whirlwind of delight. There is, however, a small caveat to this: no matter how mindless (and I don't use this term in a detrimental fashion) a film is, there needs to be some sense of an engaging narrative and compelling characters. Pompeii, marketed as a historical disaster epic, offers few surprises and even fewer thrills, mindless or otherwise.

It won't take much to explain the plot of Pompeii (which is, after all, one of the most famous stories from ancient times). Slave-turned-gladiator Milo must rescue his love from the corrupt Roman Senator Corvus against the backdrop of Mount Vesuvius, which erupts with devastating consequences for both Milo and the people of Pompeii. Kit Harington (of Game of Thrones fame) plays our hero and, it has to be said, does a fairly decent job, given the hammy dialogue which plagues the whole screenplay. He is, however, far too well-groomed for a Roman slave. Kiefer Sutherland's accent as Senator Corvus is certainly questionable but as a baddie, his performance is perfectly watchable. Every single role, however, felt under-written and lacked any true emotional depth. Whilst I was watching Pompeii, I was constantly comparing it with Gladiator and, as a result, the whole film felt rather sub-standard, superficial and flat.

In terms of spectacle, director Paul W. S. Anderson clearly set out to create a film which would make the most of the 3D format. The screening I attended was, however, in 2D (not a problem for me!) and it was plain to see that much of the shot construction and camera movement was geared towards 3D. I suppose that, if any film was going to use the technology, then a film with spewing lava, violent ash clouds and pyroclastic flows was probably going to make the most of the medium. Whilst the erupting Vesuvius was quite a spectacle, it seemed as though all the special effects budget had been blown (sorry!) on the volcano sequences, at the expense of the CGI city, which was a bit creaky at best.

That said, the fight sequences were quite exciting and woke me up when I found myself slipping into a stupor during the dull drama scenes. There was, fundamentally, a lack of emotional depth for a film about mass death and destruction: indeed, I've seen TV docu-dramas reconstruct the horror of Pompeii in a more affective and effective way. The love story narrative was absurd, making the Rose/Jack romance in Titanic look like Romeo and Juliet, and the contrived motivations for Milo's seeking revenge on Senator Corvus (who killed Milo's family) felt predictable and tired.

All in all, Pompeii simply lacks any realistic feeling, is undermined by poor characterisation and any compelling narrative. For all its crashing visuals, blood and epic ambitions, it is somewhat unremarkable and rather inert. Ironic, really, for a film with a massive explosion.

Clapperboard Rating: * *