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Augustus

2003, Movie, R, 84 mins

Augustus: Review

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Though covering some of the same ground as HBO's more vigorous ROME (2005), this engrossing pan-European miniseries, also known as IMPERIUM: AUGUSTUS, provides a more nuts-and-bolts view of history. During his lifetime (63 BC to 14 AD), Gaius Octavius Augustus (Peter O'Toole) rarely wavered in his belief that the gods chose him to rule. In 29 BC, the Senate named him Emperor; in 27 BC, the title of Augustus was bestowed on him. When we first meet him, we see that the personal cost of reigning over an empire has been staggering, with a daughter who has forsaken him and two grandchildren who died before their time. Flashing back, we find the young Augustus (Benjamin Sadler) to be more scholar than warrior, and an improbable choice for ruling an empire. But his uncle, Julius Caesar (Gerard Klein), spots the young man's cunning. After joining Uncle Julius during the Spanish campaign, Augustus proves to be both a quick study and a thorn in the side of Caesar's protégée, Marc Anthony (Massimo Ghini). Adept at diplomacy, Augustus later rewards his loyal general, Marcus Agrippa (Ken Duken), by elevating him to son-in-law, consolidating power by sentencing his daughter Julia (Vittoria Belvedere) to this May-December marriage. After bearing two potential heirs, Julia suffers from the not-so-irrational fear that her stepmother Livia (Charlotte Rampling), might poison her progeny. As keen at maneuvering as Augustus, Livia manages to promote her son, Tiberius (Michele Bevilacqua), without resorting to murder. When Agrippa dies, Augustus heeds Livia's advice to marry Julia off to Tiberius. Flighty Julia prefers the company of Marc Antony's son, Iullus (Juan Diego Botto), who had vowed to avenge Augustus' defeat of his father at Actium in 31BC.  The banishment of adulterous Julia and the politically expedient termination of Iullus factors into Augustus' decision to groom Tiberius for regency. The scriptwriter's adherence to fascinating facts makes this epic a good fit for History Channel buffs. Bringing this coliseum cavalcade to life, the European cast (dubbed) performs with sober sincerity, though O'Toole and Barr go over the top and into the stratosphere. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
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