Movie Review "The First King: Birth of an Empire"

The First King: Birth of an Empire

What do you know about Rome? Yups, the capital city of Italian. A city well known for its mythological god and goddess stories and also its magnificent buildings. However, who would have thought behind its grandeur, Rome has a dramatic historical story before it grows to be the greatest empire. This film is directed by Matteo Rovere and produced by Andrea Paris and Matteo Rovere. "The First King: Birth of an Empire" (Italian: Il Primo Re) is an Italian historical drama film that is released on January 31st, 2019. 

This film is full of wonderful characters starring by two Italian actors; Alessandro Borghi  as Remus, as well as  Alessio Lapice as Romulus. They are the main characters of this film as two shepherd brothers Romulus (an older brother) and Remus (a younger brother). This film will lead us to fallback in Old Latium, a Latin region that was an Italian tribe which belonged to early inhabitants of the Rome, in 753 BC. 

The characters use archaic Latin language to make the characters sounds ancestral. The language is created by a team from the Sapienza University of Rome led by Prof. Donatella Gentili by learning archaic Latin and completing with the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European language.

This film tells about the founder of Rome. It begins when a flash flood occurs and causes two shepherd and loyal brothers, Romulus and Remus, to be stranded and cached by Alba Longa as slaves. Nevertheless, they can revolt and escape, as well as abduct the Vesta priestess Satnei who carries with her the sacred fire. But, Romulus gets injured at that time. 

The slaves are free and begin to travel to find a safe place to shelter led by Remus. The struggle does not stop there. Remus has to save and take care of his brother, against the selfishness of people in the grub as well as fights with another tribe. And finally, the two brothers fight each other and one of them died. The story of the two brothers becomes the main focus of this film.

The real setting in the forest, river and all of the tools that they use, such as arrows, axes, spears, until the clothes they wear from animal leather, as well as their dirty faces, shabby hair, mustaches and beards add shades of ancient tribes at that time. The acting of the players is also amazing. The two main actors are originally Italian, so it makes the sense of Rome feel more. 

This excellent film is full of emotional moments and makes our blood pressure go up. For instance, the first scene of this film is open with a flash flood which shows Remus and Romulus struggle to save each other. Huhh.. a tense beginning, isn't it? Moreover, when it shows fight scene, hmm... it looks extremely real. The blood flowing from the head, arrows piercing the body, deer heart that is eaten and gaped scars. Those will make you reflexively close your eyes with your hand or even scream.

Not only a matter of bloodshed, this film also carries the theme of family love that will make our tears come out. How Remus takes care of his brother, Romulus, is pretty touching. In all of scene of this film, Remus always carries piggyback Romulus and does not let anyone hurt him. Even, he is willing to bet his life and against anyone who dares to hurt his brother. In character, Remus and Romulus are absolutely different. Romulus, an older brother, is portrayed as a person who is pious and obedient to the commands of gods. 

Than, Remus, since he becomes the leader of the grub, he begins to thirst for strength and obsesses to kill everyone who opposes him. The Remus' reason for being that is actually none other than for the sake of his brother's safety. He does not believe in gods. It's showed in scene when Satnei's prediction tells Remus has to kill Romulus. Romulus forces Remus to obey the gods command, but Remus refuses it. The dilemma that is faced by Remus is very attractive. Do humans are given freedom or only to obey the orders of the gods? Remus does not believe in gods.

During watching this film, we will find many quotes inside. Yess... the quotes that will make us think deeper and believe that there is nothing more valuable than family.  The script is so exciting. We can see before the film is begun, there is quote from William Somerset Maugham "Un Dio che pi essere compreso non un Dio" which means God that can be understood is not God. The amazing cinematography and tense music in every battle makes us drifted into the flow of the film.