Spartcus: Blood and Sand - Page 4

That... Was.. AWESOME.   Anytime a TV show makes me clap from my couch, something right has happened.  This absolutely kept me pumped!  The entire second half was some great adreniline moments.  Talk about a break all the rules of what you had to expect out of a finale!  I had NEVER expected that to happen, NEVER expected that to happen.  

 

I mean, I knew the history, but I figured we'd have a while and things would drag out, but jesus, that was a brave as all freaking getout finale.  I will rewatch tomorrow, hell, I was planning to go out and see "Kick Ass" after this, but I'm about zonked out for action..

Just Holy Crap, I CANNOT BELIEVE

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show) Just HOLY CRAP!   That was the best hour of TV I've seen this year.  

Had to watch it again this morning.  That scene, in the arena.. the Moment Crixus provides his shield.. even seeing it the second time, you just about feel like you're going to bust out of your chair with a "hell yeah!"  That is a great, great moment.  That moment, and the moment where they come bolting into the bath...

I am just stunned at how bold this season finale is, and how different this show could become.  You talk about taking major chance?  Jeez!!  I eagerly await the blueray now!

And despite Rumors floating, Mo Tancharoen has confirmed S2 is -not- put aside, and they are working on it, it may be done differently to get around his schedule.

http://twitter.com/MoTancharoen

Maureen Ryan posts her (very positive) thoughts here:

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2010/04/spartacus-blood-sand.html


I said this in another thread, sine I watched Kick-Ass today (was looking forward to it) .. but the action sequence in the finale last night here trumpcards that many fold.  I need to get a background of Spartacus rising up to the balcony, because that WAS kick-ass.

They immediately killed the guard nearest to them and unlocked themselves.  Spartacus made sure a sword was right there for the brothers to get right away.  They made a good point to detail that.  Since they were held in by one long chain that hooped them all, once it was undone, that was it.

Actually, watching it back in HD, none of them were shackled at all.  They were standing at attention, with their hands in irons.  The first of the brothers kills a guard, grabs his keys, and then makes to undo his bonds.   Many fight in shackles and die, but many grab the keys and unchain their hands.  And Peter Mensah in that scene with Crixus.. that is some wild s***.  And again when he confronts asher.  To use the phrase, that is one bad man.

WHERE!

I've watched this a couple of times since it ended, and Patrick you nailed it.. where there was violence, they made a point to say "why" and it felt like it was due.. as people figured out they had been betrayed or manipulated, the rage of the characters aided in the payback.  When Varro's death was avenged "But he was mine!"  or as Crixus destroyed demanded of Lucretia "Where!", Spartacus being challenged if the bloodshed was enough "there be but one more"  ..

Every turn completely satisfied the viewer; you looked at it, and each moment felt as though the character earned it.  That the struggle through the season to learn things - that the death of his wife was fixed, that Asher had plotted deception against the magistrate, that Varro's death was ordered by a boy because he thought it was fun.. all of those moments came to a resounding head where something simply had to give.

Still, I was absolutely shocked.  I had figured in TV logic that most of the main characters would escape so they could be present in Season 2.  It's a pretty damn bold move to take not one, but two of your leads and wipe them out.  And John Hanna has been so damn good in his role that I really figured they'd have him escape, but nope.

You're also right on the comparison with Kick-Ass.  While I enjoyed it more then you, violence just presented as it can seem pretty lifeless.  It's hard to really pull for the characters because you don't understand how evil the opposition is, or you can't really go along with insane rage... so many bystanders it seems.

 

Here, we laid it all out.  The Legitus' men were in on the conspiracy to frame Spartacus from the beginning (back to Episodes 1/2) and when put as a benefactor of them, they treated them like whipping boys, beating them frequently for no cause, only sport.  The "upper class" viewed them as "not men, they are nothing" and so you felt all of those watching, were in on the abuses, a private death ordered.

They raised the stakes as high as it could go, and rather then back down from it, they really went all in.  The moment in the picture above, when Spartacus leaps out of the Arena.. THAT was awesome action.  Better then anything I saw in Kick-Ass or anything in a while.  In part because the direction was very good, the effects were fine.  But mostly because you felt as though you bought in, had invested in the character.. so as he tore up the ludus, you were cheering like hell for them to do it.  

Great stuff.  I eagerly await the bluray!

I can see Flashbacks, especially with Batiatus, about who he contacted and promises made that got him into debt, and who now cares about what happens next now that he's gone.

It starts out kind of rough.  But about episode 3 on is a great ride, and the last five are fantastic.