It's a shame that there are so many historical inaccuracies in this 2 part TV movie about Julius Caesar that could have been so much more. Interesting had it strived to tell anything close to the truth. Jeremy Sisto in the title role iss good casting, and he is surrounded by a fine supporting cast including veterans Christopher Walken and Richard Harris who are unfortunately sidelined with cameos. The aging Harris, as Caesar's predecessor in power, resembles Julius's great nephew Tiberius, and has one scene before he's a floating corpse. Walken really doesn't get much to do either, a wasted opportunity, on screen for no more than 15 minutes, and only fleetingly in part 2. Valeria Golino provides Calpurnia with quiet sadness as she realizes that she's taken a back seat to Caesar with Cleopatra (Samuela Sardo), a tough role upstaged by previous actresses who have played the part.
While the battle scenes with Gaul and Caesar's triumphant return to Rome are filmed with pomp and circumstance, the overall scope defeats what is essential as the epic wraps up Julius's time as the great one of Rome. The characters simply fade into small mists where they are overshadowed by style, not allowing the many characters involved to be fully fleshed out. Pompey gets his in the end in Egypt, the Cleopatra legend pails in comparison to other versions, including the 1999 mini-series. Ian Duncan as Brutus and Jay Rodan as Marc Anthony aren't very detailed in their parts, although Duncan is subtle in moments leading up to and right after the assassination.
This being about parts of his life not always dramatized, but with so many characters and events thrust in and out of the drama that the scope becomes the main reason to watch. There are a few touching moments, including Caesar's reaction to his daughter Julia and Pompey's death, Gaul chief Vercingetorix (Heino Ferch) reacting to defeat and the build-up to the Ides of March predicted earlier in this part as Caesar becomes more beloved and powerful, a dangerous combination to further control the power lusts of an increasingly narcissistic man.
That is never more apparent than when he humiliates his last wife Calpurnia (Valeria Golino) by presenting Cleopatra and their newly born infant son. Watchable for certain, but never anything more than serviceable. The production looks opulent enough, and you don't really get many movies where Caesar isn't already middle aged, so it's best to take the historical fact with a grain of sword and sandals. This is definitely style over substance, but I wasn't bored. Still not up there with the classic Hollywood epics or even BBC's "I Claudius".
While the battle scenes with Gaul and Caesar's triumphant return to Rome are filmed with pomp and circumstance, the overall scope defeats what is essential as the epic wraps up Julius's time as the great one of Rome. The characters simply fade into small mists where they are overshadowed by style, not allowing the many characters involved to be fully fleshed out. Pompey gets his in the end in Egypt, the Cleopatra legend pails in comparison to other versions, including the 1999 mini-series. Ian Duncan as Brutus and Jay Rodan as Marc Anthony aren't very detailed in their parts, although Duncan is subtle in moments leading up to and right after the assassination.
This being about parts of his life not always dramatized, but with so many characters and events thrust in and out of the drama that the scope becomes the main reason to watch. There are a few touching moments, including Caesar's reaction to his daughter Julia and Pompey's death, Gaul chief Vercingetorix (Heino Ferch) reacting to defeat and the build-up to the Ides of March predicted earlier in this part as Caesar becomes more beloved and powerful, a dangerous combination to further control the power lusts of an increasingly narcissistic man.
That is never more apparent than when he humiliates his last wife Calpurnia (Valeria Golino) by presenting Cleopatra and their newly born infant son. Watchable for certain, but never anything more than serviceable. The production looks opulent enough, and you don't really get many movies where Caesar isn't already middle aged, so it's best to take the historical fact with a grain of sword and sandals. This is definitely style over substance, but I wasn't bored. Still not up there with the classic Hollywood epics or even BBC's "I Claudius".