Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Brutal
- breathless
- romantic
- melodramatic
- action movie night
- historical spectacle marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film energetic and visually accomplished as a guilty-pleasure sword-and-sandal disaster spectacle, but criticized its derivative, shallow storytelling.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Milo begins as a slave and becomes an exceptionally capable gladiator whose choices drive his attempt to survive and rescue Cassia.
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius transforms Milo's rescue mission into a race against lava, collapsing buildings, and mass panic.
The film emphasizes blazing lava, a crumbling Pompeii, arena combat, and a chariot chase through a burning city.
Roman slavery, gladiatorial games, political corruption, and forbidden love are rendered through contemporary action pacing and melodramatic stakes.
Films like Pompeii, and why
Gladiator
Shared sword-and-sandal spectacle, gladiatorial combat, historical setting, and heroic action-romance.
The Last Days of Pompeii
Shared ancient-world disaster spectacle, doomed romance, large-scale destruction, and heightened melodrama.
Titanic
Shared epic historical romance, class conflict, disaster imagery, and blockbuster-scale emotional stakes.
San Andreas
Shared disaster-movie urgency, stylized action set pieces, and a protagonist racing through catastrophic destruction to save loved ones.
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul W. S. Anderson
- Release Date
- 2014-02-18
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (3462)
Cast
- Kit Harington
- Emily Browning
- Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
- Kiefer Sutherland
- Carrie-Anne Moss
- Jared Harris
- Jessica Lucas
- Sasha Roiz
- Currie Graham
- Joe Pingue
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pompeii about?
- A slave-turned-gladiator battles corrupt power and a volcanic apocalypse to reach the woman he loves in ancient Pompeii.
- What is Pompeii like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pompeii as breakneck, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Pompeii violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Pompeii as brutal.
- What did critics think of Pompeii?
- Critics broadly found the film energetic and visually accomplished as a guilty-pleasure sword-and-sandal disaster spectacle, but criticized its derivative, shallow storytelling.
- Which films are like Pompeii?
- Films with a similar feel include Gladiator, The Last Days of Pompeii, Titanic, and San Andreas.
- How long is Pompeii?
- Pompeii runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pompeii?
- In United States, Pompeii streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz Apple TV channel.
