Spartacus: Gods of the Arena

First off, Spartacus - Blood & Sand will go on! HOWEVER, sadly it will not be with Andy Whitfield. I will definitely miss him. He was a great actor, and he is Spartacus. Starz plans to replace him with 29 year old Liam McIntyre, an Austrailian actor who does have an impressive likeness to Whitefield... but will it work? With how people are hesitant when it comes to change, especially when fans adore Whitfield as they do, well it may be hard to swallow this pill. But this new leading man can act at least, and with his likeness (and for many who may be worried, his 'yummieness') is close to Andy Whitfield's... so maybe after a few episodes air, Blood & Sand will be highly accepted once more. At least for me, I personally hope that comes to pass, because the show was magnificent. However, I'll admit that I'm just as skeptic as most of you will be, mainly because Andy was amazing in the role, but only time will tell. TO ANDY: You're a remarkable man... he said that he wanted the show to go on with out him... that the story needed to be told. GOD BLESS YOU MAN, I, as well as all your fans, wish you well in the future and to win your fight with cancer. Now on to the Gods of the Arena... well honestly, I LOVE IT! It lacks the original gravity of the show, however when it truly comes down it, this is a different show. Perhaps a better title would have been SPARTACUS: Batiatus & Lucretia's Reign, or something of the like... because this show is more focused thus far on how the lanista becomes noteworthy for the games, as well as the rise of Crixus and how Oenomaus becomes doctore. And I'm also assuming how his wife must die later, (possibly at the hands of the increasingly evil Batiatus in a later episode???... maybe not... this review is only 2 episodes in after all). Enough speculation though. We already know the houses' fate. However, it is intersting to see how that fate truly is justice, not just through the wrongs the couple commit via Blood & Sand, but their prior crimes as well. Plus, it adds to their development, and gives more insight on Crixus's character. I for one liked the Lucretica and Batiatus, they were awful, yet very entertaining, so this is a bonus for me, and I'm sure a number of other fans of the show feel the same way. Plus, it is a great filler until Blood & Sand season 2 premiers in early 2012, yes very long wait =( I'll watch it though. You can't opiniate a premier without viewing it... I may not want to view the rest, but I'll at least give the season opening a shot. (Think the new American Idol, I've never watched more than 1 episode, if that, per season, and still dont by the way. But what, 20ish other million americans have, and continue to do so. Most were skeptical of Jennifer Lopez & Steven Tyler coming in, but from what I've read online and heard on the radio, they're starting to change their tunes... maybe the new Blood & Sand will surprise us all).

This series is easily one of my favorite television shows of all time, and even though this prequel is a small piece of the puzzle I don't think it would have been the same without it. I'd even go as far as to say it is the best season of this show in my book. Even through this is a prequel I strongly advise first time viewers to watch this after they have seen Blood and Sand. There is a major spoiler in the first few minutes of the first episode that ties up the final episode of the first season. There are plenty of reasons to love Spartacus but here is a few that make Gods of the Arena special to me. First of all we get to see more of John Hannah as Batiatus who will go down as one of my favorite villains of all time. Secondly we get to return to the ludus which is almost a character in and of itself with all of the events that happen inside of it's walls. Possibly one of the best things this prequel brings to the table is the introduction to my personal favorite character Gannicus. Gannicus is a Celtic gladiator who makes up for his lack of discipline and training by being a warrior with pure talent inside of the arena. We also get to see Crixus bring brought into the fold and shaped into the champion of Capua we see him as in Blood and Sand. Believe it or not there is a lot of story crammed into this 6 episode season and it will definitely give you better understanding when you see just how brothers and bitter enemies are formed amongst several different characters in the later seasons. I might be a huge Spartacus fanboy but I cannot give any of these seasons less than 5 stars. I will recommend this show to anyone who loves drama, action, and amazing violence that depicts the brutality of ancient Rome. If this sounds good to you then you absolutely must watch this show from the beginning till it's fantastic and bloody end.

Season two of Spartacus ~ Gods of the Arena arrived a few days ago and I tore into it hopping it would not be a letdown from Season one. From the first frame in episode one to the final fadeout in episode six I was taken beyond my expectations and my hopes we not dashed on the rocks below the Lunista of Batiatus (as is the fate of one delicious character in season two.) A great story line is the key to the wonderful series and a solid foundation for this outing. Wonderful in all aspects from direction to art direction and costumes it is a Roman orgy for the senses. The actors are all top notch with outstanding performances by Lucy Lawless and John Hannah at the top of the list of startling and moving work by the huge cast. And not a single one of them is hard on the eyes. The name of the game in casting the gladiators for the most part is "Good Skin, Small nose, big muscles." And both Dustin Clair as Granicus and Manu Bennett as Crixus fit the bill AND they are great actors to boot. Another stand out for me was the beautiful and titillatingly wicked Jamie Murray as Gaia. What a fabulous actress and what a role she has to play. She adds so much spice to this stew of blood and bones. I also found Josef Brown as Aticus to be a great addition to the cast. What heat and passion he brings to the role of the lover of the always wonderful Antonio Te Maioha as Barca. The outcome of this bro-mance is a stunner. And one must not overlook the immense talents of Peter Mensah as Doctore. His layered and deeply felt portrait is a keystone performance in this his second season of the series. The entire show was a treat and it goes without saying that though we have lost the original star of Spartacus Andy Whitfield who was brilliant and made season one sing, I am looking forward to season three. The post revolt when the might of Rome comes face to face with the most famous slave revolt in history. It should be amazing!

In this 2011 prequel the Ludis [gladiator school] of Batiatus is on the ascent but still languishing in the morning fights, not the prestigious –and lucrative, afternoon fights [Primus]. The blindly ambitious younger Quintus Batiatus (John Hannah) has taken over the Ludis on his fathers retirement and with Gannicus (Dustin Clare), a strutting stud, Batiatus has the gladiator to make him famous, but he still needs to reach the Primus and fend off dangerous rivals. Historical accuracy may not be at the forefront, but this is essentially entertainment and it does capture the spirit of the subject with the costumes [were they exist] being authentic, the fights brutal, life harsh and treacherous and all set in a convincing debauched provincial Capua. This is gratuitous in every respect and most is carried out in a calculating slo-mo with lashings of squirty blood spatter flying everywhere. There is sex waiting on every street corner, as is death. Lucretia [Lucy lawless] is the calculating and scheming wife, who draws on the seductive talents of her brazen and licentious friend Gaia (Jaime Murray) who aids in their machinations, while a host of ‘chipendale’ wannabees and beautiful women provide the eye candy. The six 50 minute episodes are spread over two discs, audio is 2.0 default, but use 5.1 if you can, it’s a much richer sound. Rated 18 this is more an X rating in places, featuring decapitations and full frontal nudity from the start, leading to drug fuelled sex scenes [albeit soft core], with nudity and ‘F’ words [and a host of others] in almost every sentence of every scene. This is not family viewing as there is something to offend everyone here. The one flaw [if it can be termed such] is that there is no Sparticus here, this is about Gannicus, the arrival of Crixus, but above all, the rise of the House of Batiatus and sets the scene for the main man himself. Well worth viewing this before the first series as then it doesn’t break the continuity and forms a good backdrop.

Muy buena serie si te gustan las películas cuya trama está representada en la época de la antigua Roma

Blu-ray一気観出来た！スパルタカスは映画版と（TV）映画版の両方は観ていて、筋書きは知っていたのだが、これは確かに序章だ。がしかし、滅法面白いのだ。スパルタカスが登場する直前の剣闘士養成所の人間模様が雄渾でドラマチックに描かれている。理屈は要らない。観て楽しめ！

This show is absolute fantastic. It's the second season in the series. But it is actually a prequel to the first season. The story and the characters are so well made, you'll quickly understand how they feel. The actors are amazing, and even though the effects seem somewhat cheap sometimes you get to love them, as it's how it should be. Brilliant show. You won't go dissapointed buying it if you like politics explained through bloody gladiator battles, revengefull characters and nude people at it's best in old rome.

Edicion Italiana con Castellano entre otros odiomas disponibles, a un precio que ya deberian aplicarlo a los vendidos en España. Aunque en la parte trasera del pack no aparece el idioma Castellano escrito.