On one hand, you have sir Anthony Hopkins, an absolute legend, some other good actors, on the other hand, you have the weakest, fakest looking cgi "lion". They would have made it more convincing, if they used a dog or some dude dressed up in a lion pyjama onsie. How about you just don't use a "lion" then? Just don't do it.
The storyline is so predictable - most Romans (portrayed by British actors, as always) are stupid, useless and decadent inbreds, although they "somehow" basically run the whole Europe and Mediterranean - while immigrants and slaves are all super smart, confident, they play Romans like a fiddle. They trick them, take advantage of them, outsmart them, whichever way they want, while Romans seem convinced, that they are the ones in charge.
CGI makes a lot of things possible these days, and I do admit, the 50s and 60s sword and sandal movies didn't look exactly realistic either. They would have used a real lion though (although it would have been drugged out of it's mind, which is probably what they've tried to avoid).
With that being said, as a big Star Wars fan in my youth (the original trilogy special edition) those space creatures in those films from over 40 years ago, seem to look way more realistic, than today's cgi in this series. How is it even possible? The budget? OK, but this is 2024, we all carry a computer in our pocket, is this really the best they can do?
But even the greatest special effects and real lions, and some very good acting, couldn't save this show from being quite mediocre - because of the whole premise, the whole storyline.
