Spartacus: Blood and Sand defies the laws of nature: people have physiques chiseled from marble, ketchup-red blood spurts at unnatural rates, blades slice like buzz saws. That is to say, despite claims to the contrary in the foreword, Spartacus: Blood and Sand is not historically accurate, nor does it strive to be. Unlike Rome which had splendid, expensive sets and costumes, Spartacus is on a more meager budget, with small sets and CGI to fill in the blanks. It wants to be like 300, a wild panache of blood, sex, and plot twists--nothing more. There's no room for complexity or nuance.
Spartacus is the definition of a guilty pleasure, a show with no redeemable qualities, at least from an analytical standpoint, but is almost impossible to pull your eyes away from. The gory fights are longer than they should be, as the writers relish in decapitations, shallow cuts that sends gallons of blood flying, or various other limbs severed in single slices. The sex scenes are graphic beyond belief, showing everything imaginable--short of actual penetration. The language is as filthy as it gets, with modern curses thrown around every few seconds in reference to literally anything (variations of "fuck ____" and "stick your cock in ____" are the norm). A looming fervor lingers around every corner as the audience is always wondering what graphic display is next. Spartacus plays to our base, animalistic instincts--as gladiator fights did for the Romans--and does so to great effect.
Once the plot kicks into full gear--around the sixth episode--Spartacus could be considered a decent show. While the first few episodes of the show rely purely graphic displays to keep people watching, the writers show they actually have more to offer. Quick plot twists and entangled relationships emerge from a pile of guts and limbs, leading to a compelling narrative drive which comes to a bloody mess in the end (what more could you ask for?).
Now I wouldn't say Spartacus is anywhere near what we've seen on premium cable before, or even what it could have been, given a different intent. The acting in general is a pitiful affair and the dialogue is laughable. But what Spartacus does, which few shows do, is to let go, say fuck it, and just run with whatever the hell is there, boobs, bushes, penises and all.
Is Spartacus great television? No. Is it good television? Probably not. Is it fun television? Most definitely.
Score: 8.6/10
Showing posts with label DVD Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DVD Review. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
DVD Review - How the Earth Changed History
Narrated by Professor Iain Stewart, the series takes us through 5 parts--"Water," "Deep Earth," "Wind," "Fire," and "The Human Planet." Each parts covers basic science and, of course, history--all synthesized in a neat package which is easy to digest and understand. There's a rather aimless feeling in the first couple parts, without much to tie them together, until "Fire" and "The Human Planet" when Stewart busts out his thesis--the balance between humans and the Earth is tense and must be kept in good order.
Along with the breathtaking visuals, How the Earth Changed History grabs your attention as Stewart bounds across every nook and cranny of the Earth from a narrow coal tunnel in England to the deserts of the Sahara. His youthful enthusiasm and clear voice helps greatly. He's involved at every step and he's rather daring, doing certain things. such as walking through fire (with a suit, of course), which I would never do.
My complaints, few as they may be, warrant a couple lines. First, the assertion that history and climate is somehow "untold" is stretching it. There are plenty of history books which mention climate change, albeit not as in depth, along with the usual overextension and peasant revolts in regards to civilization collapse. In fact, Jared Diamond's excellent book, Collapse, is dedicated to the exact subject. Second, the doom and gloom of global warming is poured on in the final ten minutes. However, the solution isn't much of one. Carbon sequestration and finding new energy sources are discussed, but the urgency to implement these plans isn't conveyed.
How the Earth Changed History provides a solid foundation of science and history, notably the effects climate had on human development and shows the converse--the effects humans have on climate--in modern day. All in all, it's a very solid production and educational as well.
Score: 8.7/10
Own it on DVD June 29!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
DVD Review - Life (2009)
Life (released on DVD June 1) is a nature documentary produced by BBC and yes, there are many of these out there. But before you groan about another one of these, hear me out. It's a documentary in the sense that it shows nature, real life, and that sort of thing. In another, it's a mystical, spellbinding journey that at times, seems almost foreign.
Life, as lived by us who spend hours and hours on a couch in front of a television, is nothing like the life portrayed in Life. Decisions we make rarely amount to more than getting what we desire, certainly not natural There are struggles of life and death from the smallest magnitude, the fly caught in a Venus flytrap to greater magnitudes, humpback whales racing frenetically for a mate. An octopus even dies so her young can be safe.
Lives are taken and lives are created at a blink of an eye, boiled down to less than a minute of footage, certainly hours and hours for the cameramen. These brief moments, mere glimpses into the lives of these animals are painstakingly recorded and it's mindboggling to even consider all the logistics behind the production. First, the locations vary from the Arctic where killer whales hunt seals to Africa where cheetah take down zebras. Second, the animals need to be found and the moments of action must be caught on camera, something the everyday person won't find simply by going to these places.
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Life provides just enough facts to let viewers know what's going on, but not excessive scientific jargon to bore viewers. Along with gaping in awe at the amazing visual spectacle, I learned a few things at the same time, not a bad way to spend a few hours at all.
Score: 9.5/10
Life, as lived by us who spend hours and hours on a couch in front of a television, is nothing like the life portrayed in Life. Decisions we make rarely amount to more than getting what we desire, certainly not natural There are struggles of life and death from the smallest magnitude, the fly caught in a Venus flytrap to greater magnitudes, humpback whales racing frenetically for a mate. An octopus even dies so her young can be safe.
Lives are taken and lives are created at a blink of an eye, boiled down to less than a minute of footage, certainly hours and hours for the cameramen. These brief moments, mere glimpses into the lives of these animals are painstakingly recorded and it's mindboggling to even consider all the logistics behind the production. First, the locations vary from the Arctic where killer whales hunt seals to Africa where cheetah take down zebras. Second, the animals need to be found and the moments of action must be caught on camera, something the everyday person won't find simply by going to these places.
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Life provides just enough facts to let viewers know what's going on, but not excessive scientific jargon to bore viewers. Along with gaping in awe at the amazing visual spectacle, I learned a few things at the same time, not a bad way to spend a few hours at all.
Score: 9.5/10
