Beware -- SPOILERS !!! Bear in mind that this is being written after the first night's showing. But what I've seen doesn't appear too bad. The two-hour premier of the six-hour mini-series has my interest peaked, so I'll continue watching. However, one should remember that this is Hollywood, not history.
With a largely unknown cast (at least to most American viewers), "Empire" sets out to chronicle the early days of the Roman Empire, following the death of Caesar. The events are seen through the eyes of the fictional gladiator/slave/super-swordsman Tyrannus (played by Jonathan Cake). After being freed by Caesar, Tyrannus agrees to act as his bodyguard. However, with the kidnapping of his son (by what appeared to be either an unrelated incident or another opportunity to show his expert swordsmanship), Tyrannus was not at the Senate on the Ides of March to stop the brutal murder of Caesar. Reaching the Senate at the end, Tyrannus stands over the body of his friend while Caesar breathes his last words: protect Octavius, his heir. And protect him, he does. The remainder of the story involves the civil war that erupted between Marc Antony and the young Octavius.
Missing from the story of the death of Caesar are several key persons that were active in Rome at the time of Caesar's death, namely Cleopatra, Caesar's lover, and Calpurnia, Caesar's wife. The focus shifts from these two women to Caesar's sister and a fictional Vestal virgin named Camane.
It is in the technical areas that the mini-series is the strongest. The backdrops, costumes, and sets are all lavish. The crowd scenes are filled with people and the limited use of CGI is refreshing.
It is the fictional gladiator that makes the story weak. In studying the history of the period, there was enough drama with the historical characters to propel the story. I have to wonder if the writers knew much about the history, otherwise, why did they feel the need to have a fictional person push the story along. And while the acting is good overall, the actions and choices made by the characters do not coincide (or make sense) with their historical motivations.
The score also seems overpowering at times. This usually happens when the dialogue is predictable, unfortunately, a pretty common event. For example, in the scene where Caesar grants Tyrannus his freedom, Tyrannus says, "I don't know what to say." Caesar's response is "Say yes." So, for a creative look at the rise of Octavius as the first emperor of Rome, take a look. For a history lesson, read a book.
With a largely unknown cast (at least to most American viewers), "Empire" sets out to chronicle the early days of the Roman Empire, following the death of Caesar. The events are seen through the eyes of the fictional gladiator/slave/super-swordsman Tyrannus (played by Jonathan Cake). After being freed by Caesar, Tyrannus agrees to act as his bodyguard. However, with the kidnapping of his son (by what appeared to be either an unrelated incident or another opportunity to show his expert swordsmanship), Tyrannus was not at the Senate on the Ides of March to stop the brutal murder of Caesar. Reaching the Senate at the end, Tyrannus stands over the body of his friend while Caesar breathes his last words: protect Octavius, his heir. And protect him, he does. The remainder of the story involves the civil war that erupted between Marc Antony and the young Octavius.
Missing from the story of the death of Caesar are several key persons that were active in Rome at the time of Caesar's death, namely Cleopatra, Caesar's lover, and Calpurnia, Caesar's wife. The focus shifts from these two women to Caesar's sister and a fictional Vestal virgin named Camane.
It is in the technical areas that the mini-series is the strongest. The backdrops, costumes, and sets are all lavish. The crowd scenes are filled with people and the limited use of CGI is refreshing.
It is the fictional gladiator that makes the story weak. In studying the history of the period, there was enough drama with the historical characters to propel the story. I have to wonder if the writers knew much about the history, otherwise, why did they feel the need to have a fictional person push the story along. And while the acting is good overall, the actions and choices made by the characters do not coincide (or make sense) with their historical motivations.
The score also seems overpowering at times. This usually happens when the dialogue is predictable, unfortunately, a pretty common event. For example, in the scene where Caesar grants Tyrannus his freedom, Tyrannus says, "I don't know what to say." Caesar's response is "Say yes." So, for a creative look at the rise of Octavius as the first emperor of Rome, take a look. For a history lesson, read a book.