[I Screened it on Netflix] Spartacus: Blood and Sand

Since Netflix teamed up with Starz, the website's subscribers have had the benefit of Starz Play, a section of the Netflix website that provides content that is also available with a traditional television subscription to Starz.  What this means, as a Netflix user, is one can check out Starz's new television series which has been garnering much attention: "Spartacus: Blood and Sand."

I must admit, I doubted that I would be sucked in by this new series, but about halfway through the first episode, I began to understand what the buzz was about.  Produced by Rob Tapert (who was involved with Xena) and Sam Raimi (director of Evil Dead and Spider Man), the new series follows the life of a soldier who is taken into slavery and trained to become a gladiator.  Spartacus, as he comes to be known, is promised that if he becomes a successful gladiator, he will earn his freedom and be reunited with his wife. Although the story took a while to get going, it becomes a strong account of lost love and revenge.  There are double-crosses, corruption and unfaithful spouses to spice up the story.

If it seems to be a relatively simple plot, that's because it is.

However, the show begins to suck you in with its overwhelming visuals, soap-opera-esque situations, and committed actors.  The dialogue itself is also quite interesting.  It's smart, witty, and often phrased in a very classic style. It's also peppered with enough ‘f-bombs' to make Tony Montana blush.

In terms of visuals, "Spartacus" utilizes many of the techniques common to the film "300."  With that in mind, this show is not for the squeamish. It depicts—quite graphically—everything from spearing and sword play to decapitation.  The extensive use of slow-motion shots means deep red blood splatter glowing in sharp contrast to the grainy, grayish, washed-out colors typical of many of the scenes.  Carefully choreographed, extremely violent fight scenes occur throughout. The show never shies away from anything.  

Almost as common as the violence are highly-stylized sex scenes and nudity.  Because the show airs on a subscription-based premium channel, it can get away with more. Accordingly, this show may not be for the bashful, as it constantly shows both male and female nudity.