The First King

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Nathan J. @NathanDirector Feb 7 Rating: 7.1/10 ⭐️ I expected cheesy swords-and-sandals but got a muddy, primal survival story closer to Apocalypto than Gladiator. Intense and atmospheric. The Director’s Eye: Rovere’s use of natural light and Archaic Latin throws you right into the 8th Century BC—it feels like a window into a brutal past, not a movie set. As a man of faith, I loved the conflict of pietas (duty) vs. hubris (pride). Remus mocks the gods; Romulus submits to divine will. It’s a powerful lesson: true authority comes from submission to a higher power, not brute force. Alessandro Borghi is ferocious. The Cuts: Reading subtitles for two hours while everyone is covered in mud makes it hard to track who is who. The pacing bogs down in the middle with endless walking. Warning: It’s extremely violent—realistic mud and blood, not Hollywood gloss. Verdict: A gritty, artistic look at Rome’s founding that respects the legend's spiritual weight. A slog at times, but fascinating for history buffs. Favorite Line: "Only a god can be alone." See more Rodrigo C @RT88171744 01/09/2025 An unique image of early Italy days… great movie! See more 12/30/2022 Totally original. Loved this movie. Didn’t need a lot of word. I watched in subtitles. This is a movie for intelligent people. Bravo! See more 12/25/2021 I can’t get over how good this film is. So dark and visually powerful. How anyone can complain that it’s too violent is ridiculous. These are the same people who built the Coliseum to watch gladiators kill each other. Roman society was violent on a level we can’t even comprehend today. And that was the more sophisticated era. This is the story of the birth of Rome. Extreme violence was a huge part of human existence. Regardless, it’s a film based on a legend that is obviously inaccurate due to the fact that it’s just that.. a legend. However, the filmmaker brought that legend to life and created an amazing work of art filled with the accuracy of the violence, true language used and rawness of the period. It’s actually perfect in every way. Love this film. And so should you if you can forget for a minute that you live in the 21st century and that we’re basically a bunch of bed-wetting snowflakes compared to these people. This film is the real deal and the most accurate portrayal of anything to do with Rome ever put to film. If you can’t handle it then go put on your pussy hat and watch the History Channel. See more 05/31/2021 If you are a serious student of the Latin language and culture, this is a must see! The story line is not Livy, but the well researched proto-Latin is presented in an excellently flawless manner! I heard that a follow on TV series was in the offing, but have heard nothing for two years. See more 03/28/2021 More sword, less sandals in this violent and beautifully shot 'bio-pic' of the founders of Rome. Intense action and often intense acting speeds the whole thing along to a satisfying climax which, whether historically accurate or not, wraps up matters nicely. It is grimy, it is gory but it's also well worth it's running time. See more Read all reviews

The First King

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