i be currently slog through gibbon fall and decline of the roman empire and so i have have all thing roman on my mind . i be not very far into it yet and maybe two hundred plus page and but it be amaze just how many of these roman emperor be kill . i believe i have read through maybe 15 emperor so far and only antonius and trajan and and hadrian haven not be kill or at least suspect of have be kill . i have also be fascinate by the mad excess of many of these prince of rome . not the least practitioner of these be caligula . this bring me to review this film . i be think of the film on a historical basis as far a i understand it from gibbon explanation of rome and as well a other research from some good web site and some fiction novel dealing with the period . my point be i do not think that this film be what it be think to be by many of it proponents . i do not think the depravity show with the sex and horrendous violence of this film qualify it a accurate . the general idea of the film seem accurate . caligula be raise on an island and exile with his family and in content fear of be murder by the increasingly mad and suspicious and strange emperor tiberius . he grow up paranoid and afraid and can never shake the cutesy nickname give him by his guard and little boot and this help him grow up feel abuse and powerless . he be hand the empire after tiberius dy and the senate hoping he will steer away from the informer squad which bring death by whim of the former delusionally paranoid tyrant and and lead rome away from the madness that dictator have settle it into . caligula begin a a decent if hand off emperor and but get sick and almost dy and and come back from the brink of feverous death a true monster . his perversity with his sister do begin here and if not before . he do have macro kill and many others who be his originally supporter . the act of madness seem not to be the murder of caligula as much a his new thinking of himself a a living god . him see talk to the statue of jupiter a an equal doom him . his violent mad excess would have doom him anyway and and three year seem to have be quite a decent run for the successor of tiberius . well the film basically stick to these line while it manage to be coherent and which be not common through it entirety and it do so while try to shock the audience at all turn and in every single scene the film begs you to be disgust by the depravity of ancient rome . the shocking scene be what this film be build entirely upon and where it entirely fail . it be just too much to see successive ruler have man after man murder and rap and torture for no reason but fancy . the depiction of the violence be possibly and but not probably and accurate . murder certainly be the order of the day in imperial rome and torture beforehand be rote . but the director vision of these death and the bored amusement of their protagonist and while the bystander watch with nonchalance and i just do not see it have go down exactly like that . the death machine and the beheader and be certainly something like you have never see in movie and and something once see you shall probably never forget and even a i and you wish you could . the wine drinking while the penis be rope off be the same and once you have see this shame it be yours forever . these thing strike me the director and that porn magnate fantasy . they spring from their sick imagination and not from any proved record . the acting be pretty good . i actually think mcdowell be the weak link here . mirren be always something to behold and and here in her youthful year she be formidable and beautiful . the portrayal of nerva and tiberius be do very well by their respected actor . the film could have do so much good story telling and it be such a failure that way it just a whole other layer of what a shame this thing be . for example it could have give opinion on how and why caligula go mad and or show that he be mad and paranoid before his illness and that fever then break the mental restraint he have possess previously . it could have show the weakness of claudius and the miracle it be he survive caligula . it could have these and many other thing but it stick to it sad nightmare . finally about the sex . it be porn . it show these sex act be do all over the palace by many people . male on male and female on female and male on female . it be passionless and disgust sex . sex that if your point be to get off on it and i seriously doubt you could . both tiberius and caligula may have be sex addict and and orgy may have be common enough but the vision in this film seem to recall more a greek time than a roman . i do not think that kind of acceptance of homosexuality or orgy right out in the open be common until the the strange and deprave reign of elgabalus and and he be kill for it . this film should probably never be watch and if your curious about it and let it go . it be something and a i say earlier and if you do watch this you will unfortunately retain it sick vision in your mind eye for year to come . i do not think it an accurate historical picture in particular and even if it be historical in whole .