POMPEII (2014)

Those who grew up watching disaster films produced and/or directed by Irwin Allen (The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno) should enjoy Pompeii.  For anyone else, it depends on your mindset going in.  Set in 79 A.D., Kit Harington ("Game of Thrones") stars as Milo, lone survivor of the Roman attack that slaughtered his entire Celtic tribe when he was still a child.  Now an adult and doomed to the life of a slave, Milo has learned to defend himself and fight - skills that bring him up to gladiator status, fighting in the arenas of Pompeii.  There, he meets and befriends Cassia (Emily Browning), daughter of the city's highest official and the girl he sets out to rescue when Mt Vesuvius blows, sealing Pompeii's fate forever.  If you can be okay with toss out story and characterization in favor of a colorful, action-packed film with kick-ass special effects once the volcano blows - and for what other reason would you really go into watching this film? - then it's a good ride and even better "guilty pleasure." (rated PG-13)  ***1/2

POMPEII trailer