Groan a minute

Rating: 5/10 (23 July 2001)

After finally getting to see this film, I wondered what all the fuss was about. By the end I was bored to death by the trite story and corny dialogue. The special effects are terrible (as bad as any film of the 1950s about ancient Rome), and it is only saved somewhat by the fact that the actors (if a little camp) seemed to believe that this was real life. And who chose the terrible music that burdened the film with meaning it did not possess? Has anyone noticed that when millions of dollars are spent on a film (Titanic, Pearl Harbor, Gladiator), very little of that is channelled into the dialogue? In the end the only thing that holds these films together are the actors (not all, but usually just enough of them).
As my parents used to say, they don't make films like they used to. Well, they do still make good films, but only if there is a very strict budget.
So, thumbs down.