MARCO POLO Astounds on Bluray!

This series tells the story of Marco Polo (Lorenzo Richelmy) as a young man finally meeting his father adventurer and merchant Niccolo Polo (Pierfrancesco Favino). Tired of being left behind, Marco stows away on his father’s ship and travels the Silk Road to the throne of Kublai Khan, the Khagan of the Mongolian Empire (Benedict Wong).

Khan is upset with Niccolo for not bringing the items he had promised, and to make up for the insult the elder Polo leaves Marco. Shocked by his father’s offering, Marco finds himself manhandled by Khan’s servants and put into a prison cell.

Khan is in the middle of is own problems with finishing up his conquest of China. The only thing standing in his way is city of Song. As their emperor grows weak, the Chancellor Jia Sidao (Chin Han) is preparing to make his play for power. He sends his concubine sister Mei Lin (Olivia Cheng) into Khan’s palace ‘undercover’ holding her young daughter as incentive.

With problems outside the palace, it stands to reason Khan would have problems inside as well. He releases Marco immediately taking the boy under his care. A relationship begins to the point where Marco begins training with Hundred Eyes (Tom Wu), a monk with fighting skills.

This doesn’t make Prince Jingim (Remy Hii) happy at all seeing the foreigner as untrustworthy. Joining in this belief is Minister of Finance Ahmad (Mahesh Jadu). Someone who does trust Marco is Byamba (Uli Latukefu), Khan’s son outside of his first marriage who is joined by Khutulun (Claudia Kim), the warrior daughter of Khan’s cousin Kaidu (Rick Yune).

This trust is even more tested when assassination attempts on Khan and his wife Empress Chabi (Joan Chen) take place. Marco suspects everyone around him, including Vice Regent Yusuf (Amr Waked) and becomes curious about the Blue Princess Kokachin (Zhu Zhu).

It all comes to a head as Khan attempts to take the city of Song the first time and is set up for failure putting Marco’s head on the chopping block. Once plots are set aside and plans are put forward, a second attempt on the city of Song will bring out heroes, fools, and the secret of who truly wishes to see Khan fall!

Let us begin with Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco, here is a young man who wants only the one thing denied him quickly – a father. Finding it once Niccolo Polo leaves is the surprise for him. Richelmy truly gives this role what makes it believable, a vulnerability mixed with a hunger to understand his ‘captors’. Once the flood gates of knowledge and acceptability come to him, there isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Khan, even if that acceptability is limited by some. As the series gets deeper, so does Richelmy’s growth in the character and it is so well done I can’t stand it!

Wong as Khan is absolutely and unbelievably stunning! I realize the show’s title is MARCO POLO but Wong is the series stealer. Khan is strong, flawed, gluttonous, insecure, decisive and indecisive at the same time, trusting, egotistical and sees something in Marco that intrigues him. Wong doesn’t just sprinkle these characteristics on Khan – he covers each one onto Khan until the viewer feels the weight as well.

Chen as Empress Chabi is sophisticated, beautiful, very smart and equally as cunning when it comes keeping her husband in power. Well aware that every new person that comes into their midst is worthy of her skepticism, it becomes clear that she is willing to also use that knowledge as well. Chen’s poise and grace give the character of Empress Chabi much to rave about.

Hii as Prince Jingim wants to be the next Khan to the point of making himself crazy. Making matters more strenuous is his father’s fascination with Marco Polo. With Khan’s advisors constantly whispering in the Prince’s ear, it only serves to put a bigger strain between himself and Marco. Latukefu as Byamba is strong and secure about who he is (another factor that makes Hii upset) and follows his father’s lead on everything. A friendship develops between Byamba and Marco that I was hoping for! Latukefu has an endearing quality that surprised me in the midst of his sword wielding so keep your eye on this actor.

Claudia Kim as Khutulun is a wrestling princess of the Chagatai Khanate who wants to please her father by finding a way into the throne room of Khan. What she doesn’t expect is to truly have feelings for Byamba. Kim gives this princess humor, strength and a fearless nature. Zhu Zhu as Kokachin is a woman with a secret while resenting being a part of the palace’s many women. Marco suspects there is something more to her!

Waked as Yusuf has the ear of the Khan and his advice, even if the leader doesn’t always take it. Waked portrays this character as the eyes of the throne saying little unless asked. Jadu as Ahmad is another of Khan’s advisers having grown up in the palace who feels the Khan as well as the Empress and Prince are family.

Han as Jia Sidao is a chancellor who wasn’t born into royalty but instead as low as one could be born. With the help of sister Mei Lin, the climb cost him nothing and her everything. That being said, Han gives the character of Sidao a disturbing feel. Even his secret love of Jing Fei is a tad off but when it comes to ruling the city of Song – he knows how to push the limits but every mantis has its day.

Wu as Hundred Eyes had me yelling ‘this guy is a total badass’ from beginning to the end of Season One. He is the most patient and smartest man in Khan’s kingdom and yet he keeps his cool and his inner-eye on Marco. Trying to teach the young man what he needs to survive in this new land proved to be a continual challenge for the monk.

Other cast include Corrado Invernizzi as Maffeo Polo, Tan Kheng Hua as the Empress Dowager of the Song Dynasty, Oon Shu as Jing Fei, Lawrence Makoare as Za Bing, Baljinnyamyn Amarsaikhan as Ariq Boke and Darwin Shaw as Sabbah.

The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company that has brought such films as INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, THE KING’S SPEECH, the Academy Award Winning film THE ARTIST, and DJANGO UNCHAINED. Coming to theatres this year is CAROL and the highly anticipated THE HATEFUL EIGHT.

Anchor Bay Entertainment is celebrating its 20th anniversary and continues to bring theatrical and home entertainment to fans. This includes STARZ Original series, children’s entertainment, and more on Bluray and DVD. For more of what Anchor Bay Entertainment has to offer those wanting to expand their home library please visit www.anchorbayentertainment.com.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give MARCO POLO give tubs of popcorn out of five. There are so many descriptors for this stunning series that include epic, gripping, complex, emotional, visual, with battle scenes and martial arts and costuming that bring this tale front and center. That being said, the cast is one of the best I have ever seen put together to bring it all together.

The sets are elaborate and beautiful adding such dimension to the story telling. The elegant wood working and décor brought me into that world with ease. My absolutely favorite is the costuming – from exquisite dresses, to elegant jewelry, to finely detailed robes. I am not in a hold pattern for Season Two and intend to be there to see it all – every brilliant second!

The Bluray comes with an hour of never-before-seen special features including The Marco Polo Documentary, Deleted Scenes, Gag Reel, Fight Scene Rehearsals, The Visual Effects of Marco Polo, Making of the Opening Titles, Concept Art-to-Scene Comparison, Concept Art Gallery and Costume Gallery.

This complete 547 minute non-rated series has everything that attracts me to a series and MARCO POLO has just set the bar pretty frakken high!

In the end – worlds will collide!