I am a big fan of the hit TV show Spartacus. I actually saw Spartacus Gods of The Arena fist. I was not aware of this TV series before then and when I saw the first episode of Gods Of The Arena, I was blown away – like countless others I suppose. The cinematography, the story line, the awesome actors and their action, the sex and the gory yet stylistic violence all drew me in. It was awe inspiring.
After watching the mini season I got hold of the first season Spartacus Blood and Sand was had a wonderful time watching it. Thought the actors looked younger than in Gods of the Arena which was a little a disorienting to start with, I quickly got used to it. Andy Whitfield as Spartacus took a little while to get warmed to but the more I saw his action, the more I liked him. I felt that he carried so much of the character with just his facial expressions.
I was saddened when Andy passed away in September 2011, due to terminal illness and felt that the series would be no more. But then they announced the return of the series with Season 2 (technically 3) with a new lead actor – Liam McIntyre.
When the show finally aired for season 2, Spartacus – Vengeance, I decided that I would keep an open mind and would not be too critical of Liam. There would be obvious differences and since Andy was so good in Season 1, Liam would have a tough time filling his shoes.
But when I watched the premier episode of season 2, I was quite disappointed, not only by Liam but the whole episode. I knew that going into Season 2, the makers of Spartacus had a lot to live up to. But some one, the magic seems to be gone. The look and feel of the film was different. The colors looked washed out and the sets a little too “set” like. For the first time in this series I felt like I was actually watching a set and action setup. The authenticity of the previous seasons was missing. I am not sure what is happening with the colo correction and lighting. The 300 look and feel that was so awesome in the previous season is missing.
The new cast also looked quite amateur and lacked the depth of the previous set. Liam himself lacked the depth and aura of Andy and looked lost. Perhaps that is good in one way since this season is all about Spartacus trying to be a leader and rediscovering himself. Perhaps Liam would get into the groove as we move along.
I will hold my thoughts here and continue to observe the rest of the episodes and see if these issues would be sorted out. What do you think? Let me know your thoughts with your comments below.
