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4.2 The Fires Of Pompeii review
Apr. 20th, 2008 03:22 pmBeware of possible S4 Spoilers within this review!
I'm going to simplfy this review into Good and Bad points
Good Points
1. Love Historical episodes
2. Attention to period detail was very good
3. Use of a foreign country/ Outdoor set what a long way New Who has come, the use of the Rome set was brilliant would have liked more outside scenes though
4. The emotional scenes between The Doctor and Donna both the hand holding scene in the volcano and near the end when Donna begged the Doctor to save someone. Her heartbreak at finding out Gallifrey his home world had perished
My eyes did well up with the emotion and I definately prefer this serious side to Donna to the 'you've got to be kidding' jokey scenes
5. The Soothsayer predictions. I assumed 'She is returning' to mean Rose coming back, but the reference to 'Something on your back' to Donna was very intriguing I take it its not meant as something literally on your back, although I did think big Spider on back as in Planet of the Spiders episode
6. Phil Davis who is a brilliant actor especially when he is being mad/menacing
Bad Points
1. Pyrovile killed rubbishly with a water pistol, CGI of adult Pyrovile was not as impressive as the Soothsayer woman as a developing Pyrovile
2. Way Roman family talked to each other in the early scenes, sorry RTD too modern for my liking, I know he was trying to relate them to a modern audience but err i felt it didn't work that well
3. Plot itself with the Pyrovile seemed in the end a bit muddly/overrushed, more moved but the basic story that the people of Pompeii had to die by the volcanic eruption and THIS was a real life story
4. The plaque of the Doctor and Donna being worshed as god deity by the Roman family was a bit naff
Overall more good than bad points and I would watch it again, there was some beautiful visual imagery within the episode
Rating: 4/5
I'm going to simplfy this review into Good and Bad points
Good Points
1. Love Historical episodes
2. Attention to period detail was very good
3. Use of a foreign country/ Outdoor set what a long way New Who has come, the use of the Rome set was brilliant would have liked more outside scenes though
4. The emotional scenes between The Doctor and Donna both the hand holding scene in the volcano and near the end when Donna begged the Doctor to save someone. Her heartbreak at finding out Gallifrey his home world had perished
My eyes did well up with the emotion and I definately prefer this serious side to Donna to the 'you've got to be kidding' jokey scenes
5. The Soothsayer predictions. I assumed 'She is returning' to mean Rose coming back, but the reference to 'Something on your back' to Donna was very intriguing I take it its not meant as something literally on your back, although I did think big Spider on back as in Planet of the Spiders episode
6. Phil Davis who is a brilliant actor especially when he is being mad/menacing
Bad Points
1. Pyrovile killed rubbishly with a water pistol, CGI of adult Pyrovile was not as impressive as the Soothsayer woman as a developing Pyrovile
2. Way Roman family talked to each other in the early scenes, sorry RTD too modern for my liking, I know he was trying to relate them to a modern audience but err i felt it didn't work that well
3. Plot itself with the Pyrovile seemed in the end a bit muddly/overrushed, more moved but the basic story that the people of Pompeii had to die by the volcanic eruption and THIS was a real life story
4. The plaque of the Doctor and Donna being worshed as god deity by the Roman family was a bit naff
Overall more good than bad points and I would watch it again, there was some beautiful visual imagery within the episode
Rating: 4/5
