THOSE ABOUT TO DIE. A wasted prologue to “GLADIATOR 2”

“Those Destined for Death” is how I would most prefer to title the new “historical” series available on Prime Video. Its star and main draw is undoubtedly Anthony Hopkins in the role of Emperor Vespasian. Ivan Rheon tries to bask in the emperor’s glow, but overshadowing them all is another star who has recently turned to TV series because things haven’t been going well for her in the full-length film world – Roland Emmerich. This is the biggest problem with the series, dragging it down because, aesthetically, the world of “Those About to Die” looks as lush as the blush on a crier’s cheeks announcing to the crowd of hungry Romans that the chariot races in the Flavian Amphitheater have begun. So, the English title bothers me, and I would like to give the series a more suggestive title, but I won’t do that because it would imply that this production is good, which it is not. It’s Emmerich’s sandbox, where he builds his little castles out of his cinematic disappointments.

I thought that before the premiere of Gladiator 2, a streaming series reminding viewers how rich a subject this period between 100 B.C. and approximately 300 A.D. is for film would be useful. Perhaps then Gladiator would attract a younger audience, which it needs, rather than bitter, aging critics around 45-50 years old who are in love with Ridley Scott‘s film as much as their idealized cinematic models. I also think of myself because the legendary Gladiator has undoubtedly etched itself into my emotional memory forever. Still, I want the sequel to succeed because why would I want such a great legend to be wasted and those involved in the sequel to face a crushing defeat? Cinema as a whole would suffer, especially historical cinema. So, I support Gladiator 2, hoping it will win the hearts of future generations of viewers, and Those About to Die could be a stepping stone to that success. However, it won’t be unless someone really wishes the worst for Ridley Scott’s latest production.

The problem is that Roland Emmerich not only wanted to direct five episodes but also to impose his style on his substitute, Marco Kreuzpaintner. The best position for this was as a producer, so Robert Rodat’s script, the creator of hits like Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot, fell victim to Emmerich’s catastrophic style. It shocks me that the story of the Flavian dynasty’s power and the gladiators’ fate was told so pretentiously. The intrigue at the top with Hopkins is on the level of Game of Thrones, but the series crams in many more side stories and, most importantly, uses a peculiar way to present them to viewers. It resembles a computer game, a reading primer, or a very simple novel for young readers learning to grasp non-chronological narratives. In this way, the most important characters are introduced within one episode as quickly told mini-stories with large, capitalized location titles. It looks very unintuitive and pretentious. The situation improves once we know the main characters, but everything continues to unfold without flair, without twists, with Hopkins as just a figurehead, and his character standing over an imperial grave. The two main characters vying for his succession, Titus Flavius and Domitian, are very bland and played by completely anonymous actors. They are supposed to drive the part of the plot meant to make the series the new Game of Thrones. The Polish dubbing doesn’t help either, though even with it, you can see how much Emmerich tries to compensate for the content’s lack with his characteristic pathos. Only the gladiators entering the arena with American flags is missing. The series, however, defends itself graphically and scenographically. The wide shots of Rome are done realistically, and the fights are not sparing on blood and violence. Still, even in these, something generally hinders the perception of the depicted world – the lack of character engagement. It’s not about the acting but about what they say, who they are, and how they are portrayed.

Nothing will help this series. I also see no chance for a second season. If it does appear and Roland Emmerich is involved in its production, it will be similarly difficult to watch. It’s not that the director lacks historical ambition. Gladiator isn’t historically accurate either. It tells a legend set in ancient times. However, it does so so compellingly that it becomes unforgettable. Those About to Die pretends to show something moving to viewers, as if the writer and directors do not understand what contemporary reception of antiquity means. They just wanted to shoot moving postcards for millions of dollars, which will not pay off.