Gladiator

Rating:
Summary: 5 stars? More like a million.
Review: There is no way you can not enjoy this movie. "Gladiator" is the greatest movie I have ever seen. Russel Crowe makes the perfect Maximus...he's incredibly sexy and talented. Making the leading man complete. He'll give the others a run at the academy awards, lemme tell ya what. There is no part in the movie that anyone would consider "slow" or "boring", in the movie you have something for everyone...violence, drama, romance...its all there. The fighting scenes are edge-of-your-seat-pee-your-pants exciting. You have your gore and your glory; your villains and your heroes. See this movie, and I *assure* you that it will soon be in your video collection.

Rating:
Summary: From a Woman's Perspective
Review: You wouldn't think so from the title and the expected action and fight scenes, but this is a beautiful epic. The love story behind it is lovely but bittersweet. Ridley Scott makes the characters come to life and he makes ancient Rome come to life. Now, I am a teenage girl. I went to see Gladiator with my friend for two reasons: 1) extra credit in Latin IV, 2) Russell Crowe. By the end of the movie, I had forgotten the extra credit, but I hadn't forgotten Russell Crowe. He is marvelous. I was wary of the fighting, I didn't want to see all the gore. Okay, there is some gore, but nothing I couldn't handle. The first battle scene is amazing. When the Barbarians are heard rallying in the woods, it sent chills down my spine, it still does when I watch it on DVD. So, for the boys: you'll love it for the fight scenes. For the ladies: Russell Crowe, he needs no further explanation.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable!
Review: This movie is just unbelievable. I remember watching it the weekend it came out on the bigscreen and i was astounished at what i have seen. Gladiator stars Russel Crowe who plays the role of Maximus. Gladiator is an epic that never dissapoints. With the score by good ole Hans, and Ridley Scott directs. Great Film. Highly enjoyable!

Rating:
Summary: The Roman Bloodsport
Review: Although it is historically inaccurate Gladiator is a true epic, and it pleases me greatly to see hollywood returning to the age of epics. A Rennisance of the Silver screen where movies are truely as big as the campaign that markets them to us.

Since the 70's movie lengths have been getting smaller and smaller , and with the increase in ticket prices it's nice to see movies worth the investment. And now with DVD special features like the increadible ones on this movie, the expierience is heightened even more so.

Ridley Scott is a fantastic director amongst the best in the buisness like Fincher, Gilliam, or Mendes.

This DVD is truely worth the investment.

Rating:
Summary: RATHER WATCH THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL !
Review: THE FIGHTING IS COOL DON'T GET ME WRONG BUT IT WAS JUST DO DAM BORING FOR ME.

Rating:
Summary: Death Wish 180 A.D
Review: Gladiator is a dark and violent tale laced with some very cool action sequences. Like Spartacus, it tries to be an old-style sweeping epic, while on the other hand, it tries to be a dark story of revenge, not unlike the very cool Conan the Barbarian. Strangely, it's not a great example of either of these things. As impressive as the scope is, the plot of Gladiator is both dull and familiar. Part of the problem is that the character of Maximus has no complexity. He's a one-note hero, a generic good guy on a noble mission. Crowe does a lot of contemptible sneering at the bad guys, but doesn't have enough material to shape a 3-dimensional persona. You never doubt that Maximus will triumph because he's clearly set up to; he lacks the even the slightest sense of depth, so there's no reason for him to be in the movie except to triumph. Another problem is that, while the action scenes are good, the rest of the picture is painfully slow. I'm talking "Masterpiece Theatre" slow. Characters talk in cliches or give laborious soliloquies. I believe that it's hard to write or perform characters from Roman times because it was so far back in history; the primary source material for writers or actors feels like it comes only from other films.

At its heart, Gladiator wants to be the next Braveheart. You know, the period epic that obtains a loyal legion of fans and goes on to win a handful of Oscars. The difference is that Braveheart was more strongly conceived; it knew what it was about and what it wanted to say. Gladiator, meanwhile, serves up some amazing bits of action, but begs you to take it seriously the rest of the time.

Rating:
Summary: The Injustice of a Just Man
Review: During a time when honor was held as one of the most admirable character traits, Maximus (Russell Crowe) is stripped from Caesar's favorite and thrown into the slave life of a gladiator. Deprived of all that he owns, save his military tactics, Maximus fights his way back to Rome to avenge his family, and take back the honor he once held so dear to him.

Rating:
Summary: Gladiator -- A Great Film
Review: It's not often you see a film worth buying and sharing with your family. It displays a principled character Maximus v. the delusional and immoral character Commodus -- a clear protagonist v. antagonist scenario. The cinematography and story line are great. A "must see."

Rating:
Summary: Crude
Review: I am amazed by the number of people who seem to think that Gladiator is a great movie. I was extremely disappointed. Is everyone blind to the plot? It is so simple-minded and crude. I have seen better cartoons. Certainly, a couple of action-sequences are interesting -- but is that all you expect from a movie? And the ending is corny. And now some people are actually hopeful that this movie will get an Oscar for Best Picture. How sickening! But then these are the same people who gave Titanic two dozen Oscars. I say don't waste your time or money: get a movie by the Japanese directory Akira Kurosawa if you are interested in similar themes.

Rating:
Summary: Good, but a Little Overated.
Review: Gladiator is a good, but not a great, movie. I think, perhaps, because this summer the movies out, generally, were so bad, it may have seemed better this it was. Wait five years, and it wouldn't seem so great, as the reviews here seem to imply. This is not to say that it is bad movie, its good, just keep it in perspective. In Gladiator, we learn the story of a solider, gladiator - king. Based on a true story, the movie takes some liberties with the facts to create a better show. The overall result is an interesting tale but it has a few gaps.

First of all, Gladiator begins in the lands where Germany eventually arises. The Romans are fighting German hordes. Parts of the war scenes are intense, maybe some of the best such scenes shot since "Spartcus". In particular, they have some scenes where the General Maximus rides into war with his dog/wolf by his side fighting, slashing, and killing all in his path. I would have loved these scenes but.... most of them are shot with a "strobe light effect". The speed of the film seems to be speed up and slowed down. Some found this "artsy", I found it annoying.

After the battle Maximus is met by the aging Emperor and his son, Commodus. In Rome, the Emperor would chosse his heir. Commodus, presumes he is the one to be choosen. He is not. The Emperor secretly chooses Maximus to succeed him and to clean up the empire. Both he and Maximus, however, underestimate Commodus who plots to kill them both and become Emperor. Maximus, surprised, becomes a slave and a gladiator. Here the movie really heats up. The gladiator fights are intense, original, and varied. I think some of them, however, were shot with computer graphics. If you saw "Jumanji," you know what I mean. The animals don't seem quite real. This distracted from the movie. Thown into the fights is an improbable love story and a secret plot to make Maximus the Emperor. Both, in my view, took away from the movie since the gladiator fighs on their own were so intense.

Overall, though, these two sub-plots were a minor distraction. This film is about honor and fighting: it delivers. There is a tragic element to this film, but I don't want to speak about it and spoil the show. I will say that, this film was overall honest and some of the tragedy fit in well with the story. Be warned as well, "Gladiator" has very graphic violence. It is not for children or the screemish. But, if you are not young or delicate, this is a great action film worth watching.