I am a big fan of Historical and Biblical Spectacles of the 1950s and 60s: “The Ten Commandments,” “The Robe,” and “Ben Hur;” to name just a few. In the mid to late-60s, these films fell out of favor and were replaced by a plethora of social commentary films such as: “The Graduate,” “Network,” and “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” I particularly loathe these films as, unlike great art, they neither uplift the spirit, nor glorify the creation of God, and the possible perfection of Man. Instead, they accentuate the cruel, the lowly, and the callous evil of humanity. In the 1980s, as an impressionable boy, I rushed to the theaters to see the Christopher Reeve “Superman” series and, my favorite, the “Indiana Jones” chronicles. But looking back, these were all mortally flawed heroes that never rose above the morally bankrupt culture they attempted to change: in “Superman II,” the hero beds down with Lois Lane; Indiana Jones, like James Bond before him, slept with all his leading ladies. In the recent film “The Legend of Hercules,” I was disappointed when the demi-god deflowers his innocent love before they even contemplate marriage. Therefore, while going to see “Pompeii” I was half-expecting a feast of debauchery under the shadow of a waiting Vesuvius. Then, I was pleasantly surprised to find a rather sophisticated character study: following a group of victimized, abused, and enslaved social outcasts (namely gladiators) who butcher, mutilate, and kill in order to survive; but are capable of the most sublime acts of self-sacrifice, charity, and love. And, most shockingly: the male protagonist and the beautiful ingénue never have sex; they do not even kiss until the end of the movie. Although, “Pompeii” does not rise to the level of the greats in the Spectacle genre, it certainly equals and surpasses some the lesser titles - like “The Silver Chalice,” “The Prodigal,” and “Sodom and Gomorrah.” It’s a worthy attempt at genuine action orientated film making; that also reveals the ugliness of Man, but also our inherent goodness.