Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #155 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-09-10
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 5
• Running time: 572 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Unlike another certain celebrated HBO series, Rome's end will satisfy those swept up in its lavishly mounted spectacle and invested in the human dramas of the historical figures and fictional characters. Series 2 begins in the wake of Julius Caesar's assassination, and charts the power struggle to fill his sandals between "vulgar beast" Mark Antony (James Purefoy) and "clever boy" Octavian (Simon Woods), who is surprisingly named Caesar's sole heir. The series' most compelling relationship is between fellow soldiers and unlikely friends, the honorable Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus "Violence is the only trade I know" Pullo (Ray Stevenson), who somewhat reverse roles when Vorenus is overcome with grief in the wake of his wife's suicide. Series 2 considerably ups the ante in the rivalry between Atia (an Emmy-worthy Polly Walker), who is Antony's mistress, and Servilia (Lindsay Duncan) with attempted poisonings and sickening torture. Another gripping sub plot is Vorenus's estrangement from his children, who, at the climax of the season opener are presumed slaughtered, but whose true fate may be even more devastating to the father who cursed them.

Rome's second season does not scrimp on the series' sex and violence, in both cases exceedingly brutal. But in this cauldron of treachery and betrayal, words, too, are vicious, as when a defiant Atia ominously tells Octavian's new wife, Livia, "Far better women that you have sworn to [destroy me]. Go look for them now." In writing Rome's epitaph, we come to praise this series, not to bury it. Although two seasons was not enough to establish a Rome empire, it stands as one of HBO's crowning achievements. --Donald Liebenson

Synopsis
The second series of HBO/BBC drama ROME takes place in 44 B.C., eight years after the period covered in the first series. The show continues to revolve around the plight of two Roman soldiers, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson), who find themselves caught up in a civil war after Caesar is assassinated. As powerful leadership battles play out between historic figures such as Octavian and Marc Antony, Lucius's life is marred by personal misfortune. The complete second series of the Emmy award-winning show is included here.

Synopsis
The year is 44 B.C. Julius Caesar has been assassinated and civil war threatens to destroy the Republic. In the void left by Caesar's demise, egos clash and numerous players jockey for position. The brutally ambitious Mark Antony attempts to solidify his power, aligning himself with Atia, but coming to blows with her cunning son Octavian, who has been anointed in Caesar's will as his only son and heir. Meanwhile Titus Pullo attempts to pull his friend Lucius Vorenus out of the darkness that has engulfed his soul in the wake of personal tragedy. For once again, the fates of these two mismatched soldiers seem inexorably tied to the fate of Rome itself.

Customer Reviews

Something wrong with your DVD player?
After 50+ years of enjoying cinema,films of all types..but mostly films that engage the audience and require input...I have never complained about a Director of Photography before....every episode of "Rome" that mentioned the dreaded Marco Pontecorvo as the DOP..stand by for an amateur version of "The Shield"-all hand held..in your face,up your bum-whatever..wobbly picture,jerky background,cast walking right across the foreground of the frame-absolute RUBBISH..and with a famous Director as his father!!!- a little man with a massive ego..and directors letting him get away with it?Although this element stinks the place out-everything else about "Rome" is superb.

An Outstanding Conclusion to a Wonderful Series
The first series of Rome offered everything a viewer could want: drama, intrigue, romance, revenge, lust, betrayal and everything else in between. It was filled with highs and lows, twists and turns and a number of unexpected moments.

The second series picks up immediately after the events of the first series: Caesar is dead and the city of Rome is in mourning, Lucius Vorenus is struggling to cope with a terrible loss in his family; Atia and her family are faced with the prospect of leaving the city following the loss of Caesar while Mark Antony encounters Cleopatra once again.

The performances from the cast as whole are nothing short of excellent and are vital to the plot, which is often complicated and as usual, dripping with subtext. Polly Walker is once again terrific as Atia, Caeser's niece, who is always scheming to ensure the survival of herself and her children. However, her son - whose role is now played by an older actor - soon demonstrates a change in composure and plans to follow in his uncle's footsteps to become leader of Rome.

The sets and costumes are stunning as is the art direction - at a cost of $100,000,000 - which sees entire buildings reconstructed as they were at the time. Various parts of the series were filmed on location in Rome, which only helps add to the realism.

The second series of Rome is an amazing follow-up to the first one and is a must see for any dedicated fan as well as anyone who loves television drama or HBO series.

But do I want to BUY it?
I enjoyed the second series - but would I want to watch it more than, say, one more time? The story - naturally, when tracking the rise of Augustus - is simpler. The men of power and then the man of power take over: the influence of the women (that series one made so much of) diminishes. Livia is a mere cameo part. And, like others, I vastly prefer Max Pirkis as Octavian/Augustus to Simon Woods. Pirkis' younger man was clearly intelligent and understood people as well as being ambitious and dangerous; Woods' version is so much more black and white. And as the climax of the series is the victory of Augustus, well, do I want to buy it, even if Vorenus and Pullo do keep interest alive?