Berto Axel A lame and dated costume drama that feels like it was filmed in 1952, not in 2002. None of the social, political and historical context of the events in Caesear's life is explained at all. The Roman Republic was already dying and on its last legs, and ultimately did not survive the birth of the Roman Empire. By watching this mini-series one essentially could not learn anything meaningful about Ceasar as a historical and a political figure. Everything is reduced to a personal costume melodrama, but the series is unconvincing even at that level. Anyone with any interest in Roman history should watch the HBO series 'Rome' instead. It was made just a few years later (2005- 2007), and while it at times goes overboard with sex and nudity, that series captures the historical essence of the events of Caesar's life infinitely better than the 'Julius Caesar' mini-series.

Adams5905 I've read (and completely agree with) a number of other reviews posted, and while I understand some of the 'glossings-over' and amalgamations of facts that are often done in the name of simplification and popularization, this movie was so historically inaccurate as to make it laughable. I can't really see anybody sitting down to watch a three-hour biopic who hadn't already at least a passing knowledge of the subject, so wonder what demographic the producers were aiming at-it was always obvious that at least some of the dozens of mistakes were going to be pointed out... Although I've read elsewhere people criticizing the critics themselves by saying 'it's only a movie, and not a history lesson'-I disagree-the Romans were inveterate diarists and cataloguers, which is why we know so much of what happened during this period-It's true history is written by the victor, but there are so many contemporary sources to mine for facts that I can only assume the producers just couldn't be bothered... But my main gripe is that somehow this managed to contrive to be boring... It's a fascinating period of history, as any schoolboy will tell you, and yet the first hour seemed to drag and drag... In a period when murder was commonly used as a political tool, when great and wealthy individuals were willing and able to raise private armies to further their own wealth as well as enriching the republic, when political subterfuge and machination were commonplace, the first hour of this biopic was dry as dust... Endless conversations without any attempt to enlighten the viewer by clarifying the political situation. Due to budgetary constraints, only a single battle was shown in any detail (Alesia), but even that was unimpressive, as the relative numbers of Romans and Gaulish Celts were never shown, unforgivable in an age of CGI... So all in all, I've given this 3/10 for effort. It was a real opportunity wasted-thousands of amateur historians might well have been disappointed with this dull-as-ditchwater composition. To those, I recommend Adrian Goldsworthy's Caesar: Life of a Colossus... You won't be able to put it down!..

csongor more to entertain than to inform and, sadly it fails to do the former. in 82 BC when the film opens Caesar (born 100 BC) was 18, yet they would have you believe that he had an eight year old daughter. also seems to be an unknown which was not the case. as for Cato, he appears to be years older than Caesar in the film yet in reality was three years younger. also to clarify another reviewer's comments; Cato was Brutus's uncle. he--Cato--shared a mother with Servillia, the mother of Brutus. she was the sister of Livius Drusus, the tribune of the plebeians who was assassinated around 108. her original husband, Caepio father of Servillia, was killed in the east. she then took up with M. Porcius Cato's father. according to Plutarch, Sulla died after having relinquished the office of dictator and retired to the countryside to spend the end of his days in total debauchery.also missing from the film is Crassus and Cicero. to omit these characters is akin to omitting w.t. Sherman and Jefferson Davis from any story about the civil war. as a result the movie is careless in its regard for history. one of the early scenes in the movie involving the pirates is so ignorant of history as to make the viewer throw up their hands in disgust and say 'why was the primary text ignored?' the story of Caesar and the pirates is one of the best stories of his life and it was not given any justice. if one would be interested in roman history i strongly suggest reading up on the harrowing tale of Caesar and the pirates. in the end this movie was in terms of historical accuracy below even the HBO series Rome which was also fairly free in its interpretation of roman history but much more entertaining.

ozthegreatat42330 Time constraints did not permit all of the details to get into this film, but what was there was worth watching. Jeremy Sisto's Caesar was an excellent performance. For once in a historical feature about Caesar they started back early enough in history to bring Sulla into the picture.For historical accuracy: Marius, seven times Consul of Rome tried to break the back of the aristocracy. Sulla, representing that group finally got Marius banished and was declared Dictator of Rome for life, at which time he started to eliminate anyone opposed to him. Caeser, although a patrician was not very wealthy, and in order to work his way up in power had to become a man of the people. Which he remained to the end. After Sulla's death Gnaeus Magnaus Pompey tried to become the big name in Rome but was unable to accomplish it by himself, ultimately having to share power with Marcus Crassus (of the Spartacus Revolt fame) and Gaius Julius Caesar. Crassus did not last long being too old, but Caesar went on with his campaigns. This leads pretty much into the story presented here. This film presents all of this fairly well, even if it does take a few short cuts. Caesar's major failing was his predilection for pardoning his opponents and letting them into his favor, like the brutish Brutus who was nothing like the noble assassin in Shakespeare's play.A good feature, well worth the watching.