Those About to Die Recap: Dead Emperors

As someone who’s spent hours immersed in the gritty world of “Those About to Die,” I can’t help but be captivated by this sprawling Roman Empire and its intriguing inhabitants. The way the story unfolds, with Tenax’s desperate search for his long-lost friend Ursus, intertwined with the power struggles and deceit of the Roman aristocracy, keeps me on the edge of my seat.

In the grand arena of Circus Maximus, the factions are represented by distinct colors: blue, white, red, green, and gold. Among these vibrant hues, I’d like to discuss a less common one – the captivating shade of purple. This isn’t your typical bright royal purple, but rather a soft, subtle blend of dawn and dusk, adding an alluring coolness and richness to the Roman streets.

Regarding emperors, the third and fourth episodes of “Those About to Die” apparently signal the end of Anthony Hopkins’s reign at the Palatine palace. The ancient emperor passes away in the arms of his attendants, who keep him upright for a dignified demise. This raises an intriguing question: will he be granted divine status? In Roman history, only Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Claudius were deified upon their deaths. Vespasian aspires to join this exclusive club, while his son Titus intends to grant him this honor.

With some creative maneuvering and unconventional horse healing methods, Tenax’s Gold faction manages to save their Andalusian horses from the poison administered by Scorpus’s ex-employer and lover, Antonia. They narrowly avoid an assassination attempt, claim victory in their first race, and secure a powerful imperial backer, Domitian, who reaps a significant profit after betting against all other factions before the news of the fifth faction breaks.

To Senator Leto (Vincent Riotta) and Consul Marsus (Rupert Penry-Jones, the leaders of the White and Blues factions respectively), this new faction is unacceptable. Thousands of disgruntled rioters share their sentiment. As a result, a mutually beneficial deal is struck: Emperor Titus will dissolve the Gold faction, while the other faction heads will endorse his father’s deification in the Senate.

The Gold family is left in a state of confusion after this turn of events. Scorpus, feeling disillusioned, decides to leave despite the fact that Tenax had saved him from his mother’s pimp as a child and manipulated his first three races to establish his racing career. However, Scorpus finds himself in a market where his skills are in high demand but ownership of factions is reluctant to associate with him.

Tenax continues to be profitable in his betting establishment, thanks to Cala’s addition. With her charming personality and fluency in multiple languages, she attracts more customers and broadens Tenax’s customer base. In just a short time, Cala has already secured the freedom of her daughter Aura, with plans to help free her other children, Jula and Kwame, as well.

It’s simpler in action than in words: Jula has drawn the interest of Antonia and Marsus towards herself, leaving Kwame in a perilous position. To devise a fresh strategy, Cala enlists Drusilla, a kind servant of Antonia, for assistance. Their objective is to gain Cornelia’s (Alice Lamanna) support, the daughter who was given to the order of vestal virgins as a child by Antonia. The influence of a vestal Virgin can be a powerful tool, potentially granting freedom to those enslaved or condemned, but ultimately it is the head of the order who holds this power.

I’ve noticed that Marsus and Antonia have been making headlines lately. Caltonia, or Angeliq Devi as she’s also known, who was ousted as leader of the Blue faction when she bought Tenax’s shares, has approached Salena, Romana Maggiora Vergano, whose husband had originally stolen those very shares from her. I’m not entirely sure what Caltonia’s motives are, but this new development adds another layer to the ongoing saga of the billionaire sports-team owners’ feud.

Tenax encounters another issue as Ursus, a massive bully (Daniel Stisen), emerges. Ursus nearly drowns Tenax in sewage and menaces him with extortion, threatening to reveal Tenax’s past involvement in their master’s death when they were children. A fire interrupts their confrontation; Tenax, once called Quintus, believed Ursus perished. Instead, the boy was sold into maritime servitude, rose through the Roman military ranks, and located his former friend. In the extensive Roman Empire of Those About to Die, tracking down people is remarkably simple.

By the fourth episode, I found myself utterly captivated by Tenax and the intriguing presence of Domitian, Vespasian’s wayward son. The mesmerizing performance of actor Jojo Macari brought Domitian to life as a crafty scoundrel with an oversized skull that seemed to dwarf his face. With a tilted head gazing upwards and a jutting jaw, bulging eyes, and prominent cheekbones, he embodied the character as if on the verge of exclaiming “What is the significance of this?” at any moment. His dynamic interactions with his cooler counterparts like Titus, Vespasian’s tough-guy brother, or Tenax, his lowborn accomplice, added a captivating rhythm to the role that left me eagerly anticipating each scene he graced with his intimidating presence.

Over time, Hermes (portrayed by Alessandro Bedetti), who is frequently mistreated by his emperor lover Domitian, reveals hidden depths beyond his attractive exterior that Domitian remains oblivious to. Despite Domitian’s cruel and capricious behavior, akin to Joffrey from “Game of Thrones,” Hermes maintains composure out of necessity, as the consequences of displeasing him can be fatal. He endures being reduced to mere physical attributes, being required to engage in sexual acts for Domitian’s amusement, much like how he watches people die in the arena with an indifferent gaze.

As a devoted cinema enthusiast, I can’t help but appreciate Hermes’ versatility in the world of intrigue. He deftly assists my boyfriend in covertly escaping house arrest when accusations of embezzlement from the imperial treasury arose. Our goal was to visit Passus, the ostentatiously wigged games master, and his prized white lion. But Hermes’ contributions went far beyond that. He had an extensive network among the slaves, feeding me valuable intelligence about the people surrounding my brother’s queen. This information proved crucial for Domitian, ensuring we remained informed and prepared in a time of uncertainty.

An intriguing aspect of this program is how it makes you question who truly serves the Empire’s people as a viewer. Although Titus is a brutal and deceitful character who imposes hardships on his Judean wife’s people, he does so in pursuit of a vision from his late father to prioritize the public interest using the empire’s wealth. On the other hand, Domitian appears more attuned to keeping the populace content without relying on divine intervention, but this skill comes with the ability to instigate their misery as well – as evidenced by his role in orchestrating the recent grain crisis and resulting unrest.

Or did he? Could Titus’s Judean wife, Berenice, have been the real culprit? That’s the direction Domitian steers his brother in by staging a lurid re-creation of the sack of Jerusalem, with one of her enslaved liaisons standing in for her in drag and that white lion playing Titus. Did the plot against Berenice that all of this was alleged to have put down, the one uncovered by Hermes but denied by its alleged participants, even exist?

As a movie critic, I’m pleasantly surprised that there are thought-provoking questions to ponder while watching “Those About to Die.” Instead of everything being crystal clear, this film keeps me guessing, making it an engaging experience.

2024-07-22 20:01

Those About to Die Recap: Dead Emperors

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