Wasted Opportunity

Rating: 5/10 (10 March 2002)

Such a shame. Clearly a good budget, great locations, wardrobes and potential. Everything looks really good, and then... aaagh. We seem to be using that old formula. Protagonist who is honourable and decent, with a shady past as his negative. Antagonist as evil and merciless as we can get away with, somewhere just shy of stamping on bunny's for the fun of it. And plot wise... the old classic I've been wronged, I shall have my revenge.
I was hoping for a gripping intricate mix of war, treachery, divided loyalty, cunning, ruthlessness, compassion and bravery. Unfortunately we got a bland obvious and very unimaginative tale of revenge.
It is all too easy to pull the film down in its realism. The actions of army personnel I cannot comment on as I was not there. But they do seem to have amazing shooting accuracy with incredibly inaccurate weapons. The slave issue clearly portrayed in a bit of an embarrassing way so as not to offend. I guess the question is: why set a story in such a time if you have no intention of recreating it accurately?
A point about this films set in history. I make a point of assuming, other than the arena in which it is set, that the rest is completely fictitious.
I suppose one truth is displayed, that revenge is the excuse of the evil, and only leads to more death and suffering. We seem to understand this yet cannot overcome our need for it. So much could have been explored in this film, yet they leave it out for the old classic formulas. I'm afraid I'm not that easily satisfied.