Those About To Die - Peacock Series Review

🍿 Those About To Die REVIEW 🍿
🎬 Synopsis: THOSE ABOUT TO DIE is an epic drama set in the corrupt world of the spectacle-driven gladiatorial competition, exploring a side of ancient Rome never before told - the dirty business of entertaining the masses, giving the mob what they want most…blood and sport. The series introduces an ensemble of characters from all corners of the Roman Empire who collide at the explosive intersection of sports, politics, and dynasties.
🌟 Review: Join me as we break down the plot, highlight performances, and discuss how "Those About To Die" stacks up against other Peacock shows. Find out as I give you my honest thoughts and opinions!
🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon to stay updated on all things movies! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Did "" meet your expectations? I want to hear from you!
🎥 About Us: Justin Watches Movies is your go-to source for movie reviews, ranking videos, and all things cinema. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual viewer, we've got something for everyone. Join our community of film enthusiasts and explore the magic of storytelling with us!
Thank you for watching, and until next time, stay tuned for more exciting content from Justin Watches Movies!
Be sure to hit that subscribe button and notification bell to be notified when I upload new movie review and ranking videos!
And SMASH that thumbs up button!
Follow me on Letterboxd
letterboxd.com...
WATCH NEXT
All 22 Studio Ghibli Movies Ranked: • All 22 Studio Ghibli A...
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE VIDEOS!
www.youtube.co...
Check out my written reviews on Hotchka
hotchka.com/aut...
Follow me on Facebook:
/ justinwatchesmovies
Follow me on Instagram
@JustinWatchesMovies
Follow me on Twitter
@JWatchesMovies
All 23 Red Power Rangers Ranked Worst to Best
• All 23 Red Power Range...

[@lordmclovin3694]

HBOs Rome was made nearly 2 decades ago. If you ain’t seen it, watch it. It’s how a show about Ancient Rome is done.

[@malclmhexed5978]

Facts 💯 that show is brilliant, ahead of it’s time

[@austridge31]

Indeed. And of course the Sparicus series.

[@malclmhexed5978]

@@austridge31 meh

[@austridge31]

@@malclmhexed5978 Interesting. I think your phone must have auto corrected 'Yeah, Spartacus was amazing!!' to 'meh'. 🤣😅😂

[@igalnagar4851]

One off the best show ever!

[@charvelgaming2975]

I loved it. Watched all 10 episodes today.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Intense! It took me about a week to go through it.

[@Tsar-Czar]

I just started it. Some of the efx looks not so good.

[@christer4743]

Ul realise how shit it is after uve watched spartacus

[@austridge31]

​@@christer4743Totally agree. Sparicus (seasons 1 2 at least) are fantastic. This... looks sad and amateur.

[@10SecondZ06]

@@austridge31I loved Spartacus and I actually thought season 1.5 (flashback season) was the best showing the making of the houses. I really enjoyed Those About To Die. It was really good.

[@kacem1784]

Besides the bad CGI i binged the whole show in one day and i enjoyed it

[@IMeanMachine101]

Am I the only one that thinks the dialog is awful? 😂

[@GT-cl6ez]

no

[@17Jack19_]

Honestly, "meh" was the best way to describe this series. I went into it really exited, because I love historical dramas, and I love Spartacus. But there are so many pov's, that I couldn't sympathise with anyone. The special effects where okay, but a bit clumsy. Spartacus also had this, but with that show being very violent and rough around the edges, it was working. This show is too refined for it. The gladiator in the show (idek his name anymore) is an exact knock-off of Spartacus, he is seen as a underdog in the beginning, impresses the public but has conflict with the powerful leaders, they want him dead. He also has a best friend who has a young son and a wife, he gives him peptalk and also acts as a exposition dumper. The acting was painfull at times, emotion scenes where not emotional, and the only relationship dynamics that I was truely interested in was between Hermes and Dominitus, because that had actual influence on the storyline. Maybe this is just my opinion, but this was unfortunate, It could have been so much better with half of the characters and storylines.

[@matiasdevaglia4541]

I agree. Too many characters introduced from the start of the show. Good characters wasted. Interesting relationships that went nowhere or were only used to shock the audience with their violent, cruel end.

[@10SecondZ06]

I loved it. Watched all 10 episodes in a couple days. Looking forward to next season.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bjmcmahon722]

I don't think they'll be getting a S2.

[@TheImmortalGod]

Tbh i enjoyed this show, i would give it a 7.5/10 due to the CGI, acting wasn't the best too, but thanks to the last episode and to the decent story i enjoyed it

[@pickledud7703]

Cant believe this had such a big budget. Visually, performace and story wise it feels like trashy tv.

[@CAPTAIN-FIDGET]

the acting is soooo bad

[@jenkscx3766]

Yess I feel the same the writing feels so poorly written it feels like we’re going round in circles with the younger brother always able to fool him

[@jimboh.2654]

I'm afraid I don't like it due bad reviews, quess I give it a go tonight

[@Bloozguy]

@@jimboh.2654 If you like Roman era movies, this is not that bad. A little too much CGI, but you do get a raw idea of how life was during that time...how little disregard there was for human life...the cruelty of the times. .... a bit raw with some things many people will find offensive, soft homosexual porn, children getting killed, heads getting chopped off, blood everywhere, but overall, while it's highly fictitious, it reminds me how fortunate we are in this modern world. The chariot races were great.... I can imagine how exciting that must of have been for people at that time. The acting here was decent, imho. I watched 3 or 4 episodes at a time, so you get invested into the characters, I didn't think it was _poorly_ written, but I have a lot of movie patience, lol...prolly due to my love of all things Roman era. But the human character truly has not changed much in 2,000 years. It's just less cruel these days. I'd agree with this assessment. B+ , perhaps an A for me. Worth watching. Got to give it at least 3 episodes to decide one way or another, I think. I've seen better series for sure. The Expanse, Hell on Wheels, Vikings, Mr Robot. This one here doesn't get equal billing with those series.

[@Amor28.]

@@BloozguyI agree

[@JoaquinEchevarria-c9i]

When it starts I couldn't believe the hated Bolton son was the main star. I'm 8 episodes thru and he is a good guy and did a decent job

[@ImOldGreggg]

Feels like a cheap knockoff of HBOs Rome. I'm so glad we got Game of Thrones, but it came at the expense of canceling Rome. Rome is my favorite show ever made.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

I haven't seen either Rome or Game of Thrones but I'm sure I would like them more than this show

[@msrdzai5260]

I watched it and loved it! The whole season in 1 day, because I’m on leave from work. Chefs kiss. Reminded me of GOT when it was good. Without the magic though.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

I have to admit, I haven't watched GOT

[@Thinkythinkerton]

Another show killed in editing. This is my take. It was a great show, too bad it sucked. Ya, that’s how it made you feel. A Luke warm 4.5 out of 10 lol

[@CSLintheCASINO]

100% agree

[@Shryce]

I thought it was a very superficial series with a hell of a lot of plot armor for the main characters. Better spend ur time on Rome or Spartacus.. far better.

[@FPchie]

CGI, special effects, green screen background, fighting choreography are terrible (the kicks and punching are clearly contactless). But plotline is chaotic (sometimes the feuds between chars are plain silly), yet decent enough to quickly binge all 10 eps.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Cgi special effects was painfully bland at times but still fun to watch

[@jonathonbrown2128]

It is not good. Sure it is subjective because it’s art but subjectively it’s trash. Too many POVs I don’t care about a single character, Anthony is okay I guess. Iwan is good

[@Phattara-n4e]

I like it. Great event if you have right mindset about what it is from start. It is melodrama in Rome era so they sell over the top blood feast, epic horse race, pit fight and dirty political game. Easy to have fun with if you just don't overthink about it.

[@ShakaCthulu]

Roland Emmerich is hit or miss, but he did pretty good on this one. Nothing about it is any more ridiculous than that Starz Spartacus series.

[@austridge31]

😂😂😂 What?? It was armature, and looked visually awful compared to Spartacus. Which is one of the best series ever made!

[@tillabakos2248]

Rolan Immarik? Story never told before like this, except 100 times?

[@عراب_النغم]

I was very disappointed I got high hopes when I saw Antony Hopkins among the acting team but the whole show is terrible worst acting, silly CGI, writing..etc I I stop watching after episode 5 very boring

[@thomasmitchell7645]

I watched the first--unlocked--episode in the series on Peacock. I enjoyed it and am a big fan of Anthony Hopkins. I was wondering if it was worth subscribing for a month to watch the rest of the series. Thanks for giving me something to go on.

[@JonathanJ-h4v]

Gladiators "getting onboard" with these games? They were thrown into these "games" against their will as slaves!

[@Amor28.]

I liked it, waiting for season 2 already

[@denniskristos3800]

Roland Em-mer-ich not Eyemrich.

[@GT-cl6ez]

It's a great show apart from the visuals, writing, dialogue, story, acting, action, visual effects and CG, music. If you ignore all that then it's great.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

That's a lot to ignore!

[@TeamCarbos]

Thats the worst butchering ive heard of the name emmerich

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

And it got you to comment on it

[@austridge31]

@@TeamCarbos Butchering seems an appropriate word for this whole series...

[@johnothannigh511thawk8]

I think where to nit picky its not perfect at all but its visuals are good and the story aint horrible its a solid 6 or 7 outta 10

[@ladyejustice9320]

Inconsistent writing, poor acting and a waste of talent when it came to Anthony Hopkins’ character. The portrayal of Domitian was over the top and cartoonish. Typical storyline of handsome old son and the twisted young brother.

[@xciv808]

This show is so inaccurate and never shows Christians being persecuted by being thrown into the arena with the lion's. It's propaganda at best.

[@brutaldom]

If you want a actual gladiator action packed show, go watch Spartacus

[@StrayVertex]

Pretty much what I expected from Roland, it's pretty weak character/story wise.

[@HammyHamster-c2r]

Watched the first 2 episodes, then couldn’t take any more The acting, the sets, the cgi, the fighting all dreadfull. Clearly all film sets no outside locations Was hoping for the Roman equivalents of game of thrones. Instead got a Roman version of rings of power. Absolute horse sh*t! I may go back at some point to watch another episode, but don’t expect it to get any better. 🤷‍♂️ D- from me.

[@Assassin7451]

Yeah the CGI was a bit hit/miss but overall I enjoyed it

[@goodlookinouthomie1757]

It's better than Rings of Power that's for sure.

[@sunshineb1405]

I thought Titus was a wuss for a King! Kwame was my fave character!

[@barney8046]

predictable garbage

[@chrishall9892]

you my friend are the type that cannot enjoy anything. have fun with that debilitating mental issue.

[@RESIDENT-V]

what episode did the guy have a broken leg in and the other guy was acting like a fake doctor and was messing with it?

[@RhettsRides]

If I loved Spartacus Season 1 am I going to be disappointed by this ?

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

I haven't seen Spartacus but have heard many great things about it. Many people seem to not care about this show so far

[@sentaiz1329]

How much does accuracy matter to you for history and ancient rome? If you don't care it might be a good show. If you're like me and want some things to be accurate just some then ya this was a waste of money. There is nothing accurate about this show and its setting. I stopped watching after 15 minutes that's how bad it was to me.

[@RhettsRides]

@@sentaiz1329 oof that’s good feedback. I’ll just rewatch Spartacus for the 8384739th time

[@christer4743]

Oh spartacus is 1000 times bettee

[@sentaiz1329]

@@RhettsRides Look I only watched 20 minutes so I might not be the best person to review the show. But after one scene with a Roman Solider and his deletion from some girl and the fact that they were turned into slaves and not made into examples. I just rolled my eyes sooo hard at the absurdity of that entire scene and how badly it was written that I just turned it off. I was like oh the show is written by a 12 year old. Its like a group of talentless people went into a room and said, "How do we create conflict? And someone raised their hand and said this. Well how about a Soldier randomly walks into some ones house and starts to grape the girl and her sister defenders her by deleting the roman soldier.. Then they all stood up and clapped and said that was the most brilliant idea for a conflict story plot ever!" NO NO NO wait I turned it off shortly after when the mom runs in and puts a small knife in her hair with her husband looking dazed and confused as she screamed she was going to get her revenge or whatever, you know with her little assassin hair knife. Ya that's when I turned it off.

[@jasonhannon2386]

Too many similar shows on at min which are brilliant, vikings etc etc this is like a 'comedown' show that's watered down💯. As someone said Rome is a better much better show💯

[@chrishall9892]

Why must you pick it apart and not just enjoy it? ocd i guess

[@lauriemhaysom1396]

Directed by the modern master of disaster films Roland Emmerich

[@ferdietan7638]

c r a p.

[@some1601]

it was a good one actually . I mean NOT BAD .

[@austridge31]

Yeah... no. It was amature, and looked visually awful compared to thinks like Rome or Spartacus.

[@killer923]

reminds me alot of Spartacus sand and blood

[@JMTE27]

Could not make it past episode 3 too many characters & no one to really root for. Great visuals though but that’s pretty much it.

[@har8397]

You lost me at "Rowland Emmerich " .. thx for the headsup

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Got you to comment #engagement

[@HICHAM-73]

. Black NUMIDIANS 😂😂😂😂 Black painting history is stupid idea .

[@tyizzle80]

You weirdos always have something g to say about Black people in shows.

[@ShakaCthulu]

The Numidians were Berbers. Some Berber tribes are dark-skinned & look exactly like the lady and her slave daughters. The gladiator Kwami also said his father was Nubian. Far more ridiculous notions out there. I don’t remember anyone moaning about Oenomaus from Spartacus, a Numidian in that show too & blacker than anyone in this...or that he was raceswapped, historical Oenomaus was a Gaul. Or the Polynesian Carthaginian gay gladiator Barca...

[@HICHAM-73]

@@ShakaCthulu The black berbers are the TOUAREG but they never was Numidians because they live in the sahara and have no contact with Roman empire .. Numidians was living from the Aures mountains to the Mediterranean sea and they was light skinned just like Italians Greeks and Hispanian . Black people have their own history and their own heroes. Personally I am against a white Nelson Mandela or a Chinese mohamed ali

[@austridge31]

@@HICHAM-73 Yeah! Who ever heard of a black african? 😂

[@HICHAM-73]

@@austridge31 Not all African are black .. numidian are Mediterranean just like Italians Greeks and Hispanian

[@BrianWalsh-d5m]

I enjoyed it, these days the CGI makes shows better but sometimes it's just sad, I guess CGI crocks and giant lions is better than real ones.

[@christer4743]

Why did they use martyn flord a bodybuilder as the syrian gladiator flamma, that ruined much of it all

[@ficamnuzone7052]

I love it (even with the stuff 😑) drama is really good. That battle was given me tears . Cant wait for s2

[@smoke126857]

game of thrones in Rome

[@sentaiz1329]

I couldn't get past the first 15 minutes, that's how ridiculous inaccurate things are. I guess this show was made for people that don't care about history or ancient Rome. Because this is a clown show for anyone that thinks they do.

[@Survivedthearena]

No one alive today knows how they lived back then so this comment is dumb

[@sentaiz1329]

@@Survivedthearena Did you ride the short bus in school?

[@sentaiz1329]

@@Survivedthearena Are you still in Elementary school? No wait that's disrespectful to all 5th graders who are more intelligent then you are.

[@sentaiz1329]

@@Survivedthearena I'm just going to throw random words at you, Historiography, Historian, art, writing, drawing, bones, skeletons, buildings, dirt, statues, writing, oh wait I said that one already. script, clothes, metal, did I say writing? money, coins. Paleontology, geography, writing. GOD I KEEP FORGETING I SAID WRITING. I have no idea how we know how they lived. Not a clue, all those words are meaningless dribble. Ya I know I can't even imagine how people lived without an Iphone to record everything. How do we know Viking braided their hair? I have no idea no one from today was alive to see it!

[@greg8909]

I'm sorry I'm belgian, I don't know what a peacock series is ? Maybe it's a bird ? This tv show is streamed on amazon prime in my country. EDIT : Ok so peacock is a streaming service I never heard about and the show is streamed on amazon prime internationally according to wikipedia. Maybe for you international viewers you can be more specific when talking about peacock series ?

[@connormcleod9595]

Bloody good show❤

[@MegaMar14]

Funko pops detected opinion rejected

[@kojivamracku9690]

Complete trash with modern ''women strong'' heavily pushed. Lots of scenes are complete cringe, acting is horrible and there is no gravitas from top actors just feels like some modern interpertation of rome pushed by modern agenda. Wrong weapons, wrong armor, magic women from africa that speak 15 languages and can do no wrong, 1 woman dies in this whole season, none of them do any sacrifice or have any sort of hardship even tho it's presented as such. The guy in the arena wins by cheating or pure luck, his acting is atrocious and makes no sense. His mother just magically sneaks into best guarded places by just walking in or guards just chasing after 3 kids....it's so fucking stupid i could hear my brain-cells dying...

[@Makta972]

Better than expected. Much better than the house of dragon crap

[@malclmhexed5978]

Is Caesar in this ?

[@austridge31]

Probably not. Due to being dead for over 150 years by this time. Lol

[@djbarbergreen3388]

Once i heard an American accent i cname to the conclusion that this is another historical drama that tries to squeeze an American actor in ...come on do better people

[@neilphillips9585]

Talk about it hyped my boy

[@newworld8546]

such abuse of green screen.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

What are you talking about? It was all real! 🤣

[@moosic2i]

Em-mer-ich not Eyemrich! Come on man, at least do some basic research.

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Bothered 2 people enough to comment, just what I wanted

[@nuerentilden8097]

that attitude is not going to get you far, god luck on your tiny career

[@melissak8419]

I liked it, but it was like a Game of Thrones version of Rome at the time of the Coliseum/Flavian Amphitheatre being-built soap opera. If you are going to make a series about an influential time in history, at least get the facts that are historical right and then use the behind the scenes / unwritten history part as the the soap opera/ dramatic parts. Need to go back and watch HBO's Rome. . . since I never finished it.

[@mule2311]

It sucks , too much DEI in the movie, not realistic…!!! Yeah Right! A puny person beats a giant and massive obstacle, just not believable … Definitely WOKE !

[@hilamadventures4060]

Agree but how is that woke? If u watched the episode u would have seen his mother put something in Flamma drink the night before the match..

[@abbamalami9171]

So you didn't see the part were the giant was poisoned before the fight? You anti woke dorks are even more cringe than the woke crowd 😂

[@abbamalami9171]

So you didn't see the part were the giant was poisoned before the fight? You anti woke dorks are even more cringe than the woke crowd 😂

[@trmartin6821]

You didn't get the memo? Anything with anyone Black is now DEI & woke​@@hilamadventures4060

[@neofio3240]

Worst storyline.... Bad scenario... I hope no sequel or season 2 Trash..... 😄

[@kacem1784]

season 2 confirmed by the director

[@christer4743]

Fax

[@Levi_gxn]

What a terribly show 😢

[@beliffywu5804]

wow this show is garbage. turned it off in 20 minutes

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Seems like a lot of people don't like it

[@oldskoolordie]

Another bait and switch DEI wokefest with crappy cgi

[@abbamalami9171]

Lmao GTFOH, what was woke about it? Did you even watch it? Or is it woke because it has black people in it?

[@kuldipbinning1989]

You didn't mention all the sex. To me, it was like a prequel to Spartacus.

[@johngibbins939]

Good story, bad special effects especially the painted backgrounds

[@danielfiore5899]

Crap

[@iceraven1964]

❤🎉🎉 good as HBO ROME!!

[@JohnBeeblebrox]

Nothing like approaching the nuance and quality of the HBO/BBC/RAI Rome series. A poor ersatz copy at best...

[@Toxicdemon2]

It was long and boring

[@chrishall9892]

Never told before?! Spartacus maybe?

[@vostrovostro8824]

Fukin loved it

[@InvUnk]

lol who is going to watch your review when you cannot even say his last name... LOL what a joke

[@JustinWatchesMovies]

Maybe I do and it was all part of a plan for engagement? Or maybe I don't 🤔