This is one of those TV-movies that are supposed to teach you some history and scientific knowledge by way of dramatizing it. Maybe truly scientifically interested audiences will see the dramatization as a superfluous romantic distraction, while people who like a good and solid drama may be irritated by the prominent voice-over and the abundance of scientific facts.
But when you've set your mind on the duality of this kind of production, this specific one is actually quite good. The subject of Atlantis (true or fiction? Was it really Santorini? What could have happened back then to destroy it?) is involving enough, as are the subjects aside of that: the wonderful Minoan culture, it's mysterious sudden evaporation, and the effects of a large scale volcanic outburst. Leave it to the BBC to use all the modern techniques and facilities to give you a convincing insight in the historical circumstances, and a mind-blowing account of the cataclysmic catastrophe that struck this little island, comparable to the effects of an atomic bomb.
The simple story that is used to bind all this information together is hardly important, but it serves its purpose fine. This is helped by some decent acting of father-figure Langley Kirkwood and love-couple Stephanie Leonidas and Reece Ritchie. I was less impressed by the central figure of the high-priestess, who looked like Carol Burnett on a bad hair-day, unfortunately without her acting-abilities. Apparently they didn't dare to let the women wear the right Minoan clothes: namely with their breasts bare. And I also doubt if the ritual dances that the priestesses in this movie performed were based on any historical research; here it impressed me a bit like out-dated Mata Hari impressions.
But otherwise: nothing but praise, I like this sort of educational dramatizations and this is a truly fine example.
But when you've set your mind on the duality of this kind of production, this specific one is actually quite good. The subject of Atlantis (true or fiction? Was it really Santorini? What could have happened back then to destroy it?) is involving enough, as are the subjects aside of that: the wonderful Minoan culture, it's mysterious sudden evaporation, and the effects of a large scale volcanic outburst. Leave it to the BBC to use all the modern techniques and facilities to give you a convincing insight in the historical circumstances, and a mind-blowing account of the cataclysmic catastrophe that struck this little island, comparable to the effects of an atomic bomb.
The simple story that is used to bind all this information together is hardly important, but it serves its purpose fine. This is helped by some decent acting of father-figure Langley Kirkwood and love-couple Stephanie Leonidas and Reece Ritchie. I was less impressed by the central figure of the high-priestess, who looked like Carol Burnett on a bad hair-day, unfortunately without her acting-abilities. Apparently they didn't dare to let the women wear the right Minoan clothes: namely with their breasts bare. And I also doubt if the ritual dances that the priestesses in this movie performed were based on any historical research; here it impressed me a bit like out-dated Mata Hari impressions.
But otherwise: nothing but praise, I like this sort of educational dramatizations and this is a truly fine example.