Rating: 
Summary: The Glory of Rome
Review: Gladiator is a worthy successor to the great sword and sandal films of the past. With a classic story, great acting, spectacular cinematography, and an incredible score, Gladiator is a true epic in every sense of the word. Russel Crowe's and Joaquin Phoenix' performances are exceptional, and you find yourself despising Commodus(Phoenix) and actually cheering for Maximus(Crowe). It is hard to watch the film and not be moved by the story, which at some points can drag, but is more than made up for by stunning batte and single combat scenes. The larger political story gives flesh to the main arc of the film--vengance. The film is fairly accurrate in its portrayal of the Roman gladiators, and the characters of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus are based on real emperors. The DVD version which I am specifically writing about is excellent. The chapter segmentations are done very well and you are able to skip to every major scene without any fast forwarding. The bonus CD has many nice features, including all the trailers, cut footage, and a history of the gladiator games. All in all, this is the best movie of the year, and if you are going to buy it, I highly suggest the DVD version, and if you don't have a DVD player, buy one to see this film...truly an instant classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Apocalypse Then
Review: You wouldn't expect gladiatorial combat to be worth watching. It's been the subject of thousands of one-panel cartoons, sportswriting allegories, and pedophile come-ons (Remember the pilot in Airplane asking, "Jimmy, do you like gladiator movies?") So it's a bit of a surprise that most of the combat scenes in this film play pretty well. Oh, there are quibbles: the lions and tigers look like they've been given Xanax-laced burgers, and despite fitful attempts to invoke real Roman custom (Crowe's prayers to his ancestors) the American nuclear family is still the basic unit of pathos. But most of it is beautiful, in an uncanny way. The great battle scene at the start of the film is like a pre-industrial Apocalypse Now shot, as the Roman catapults literally napalm the treeline. It's an interesting way of reimagining the Roman way of making war, and it's not actually such an implausible one. They were a fearsomely adaptable and ruthless people, and the film deserves credit for making them, and their bloodsports, something more than a tired punchline. One thing, though: Oliver Reed. Aaaiiee! The man is magical: whenever he appears onscreen, suspension of disbelief collapses. I await the day he and Keanu Reeves play opposite each other; the very fabric of the Universe may well collapse!
Rating:
Summary: A DVD for the ages!!
Review: Gladiator is one of the best big movies of all-time. Not only was the acting phenomenal, but the storyline, usually missing from blockbuster films, was superb. First, the film opens with a fascinating battle scene that gets your heart pumping and eyes open. Next, the action slows down but the plot grips. Finally, the film takes the viewer on a roller coaster of plot twists and turns with great action to go along. At the expense of spoiling the movie for anyone my overall review of this film is that it is one of the best buys on DVD available on the market today. Not only is the movie great but the oodles of special features will keep you entertained for months. All in all, one of the best DVD's of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie, lousy video
Review: Enough's been said about this movie that I don't need to repeat it. Loved the movie, but unfortunately this video is not worth the money. (Not that I think any video is worth $112, but that's another subject!) It's a shoddy video transfer-I guess the powers that be were focused exclusively on the DVD release. Thanks guys, really appreciate that. The colours are muddy and off. Check the scenes w/Marcus Aurelius watching the battle in the very beginning. In the theatre, his cloak was a glorious Imperial Purple, but here it was a dull blue-green. I watched this video on 2 seperate TV/VCR set-ups, so it wasn't the equipment. Unfortunate that while the DVD gets all the extra footage and behind the scenes stuff, those of us purchasing the video get stuck w/sub-par quality. It can't ruin the movie, but it makes the viewing less enjoyable and leaves the consumer feeling ripped off. .
Rating:
Summary: Destined to be a classic
Review: I took my girlfriend to see this movie, and it is an experience I shall never forget. The days of the Roman Empire were brought to life in full color and sound, and for a short time I was allowed the priviledge of living in one of the most exciting times in world history. I bore witness to a man engaged in an age-old struggle between good and evil, and when all the odds were seemingly against him, he eventually emerged victorious. My girlfriend also enjoyed the movie immensely, and she reflects upon it from time to time. It is now one of our treasured topics of discussion, and to be able to share such precious intellectual time with a loved one is priceless. "Gladiator" is destined to become a cinema classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Kubrick & Wyler Can Continue Sleeping RIP
Review: Jim (husband) and I were expecting this to be as good or better than Kubrick's "Spartacus" or Wyler's "Ben-Hur" with all of the advance fanfare this film received. We also love director Ridley Scott's "Bladerunner" and expected that he was up to the task of taking on those two ground breaking films with his "Gladiator." Unfortunately, this is yet another film where everyone involved got so carried away with the special effects, blood, gore and mayhem, that the other elements of film making were given short shrift. Russell Crowe's talent, stunningly seen in "The Insider," comes across at only one level here, as a war machine. There is no real character development other than motivation given for his having nothing to lose by going all out as a Gladiator. Phoenix, however, does a nice dissipated villain and shows lots of promise for future roles. We were ready to give this DVD two stars and then watched the second disk on the DVD, the one with all of the special features. There was fascinating material on this disk about the "how to" of the movie and about the history of Rome and gladiators, which we really enjoyed. Hence the grade of three stars instead of two stars.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE THIS MOVIE AND THE DVD.
Review: I seen Gladiator once at the theater I love it!This is the best movie ever!.Ridley Scott is the best directed,Russell Crowe is a outstanding actor,and Joaquin Phoenix another outstanding actor too.I am awe at this movie I love it,kind of remind me of another Braveheart movie. Now for the good review on DVD,you know I love DVD so much,because of the sharp bright picture and the 5.1 digital surround sound.OK,the Gladiator DVD "one word,AWESOME!" when you pop this disc on your DVD player,you well love the picture,is so bright and clear.Every scene I watch has no grain what so ever,Dreamworks did a fabulous job.This disc as two digital surround sound,DTS ES and DOLBY DIGITAL.I've listen to the DTS and I must say the DTS sound is the best,I can hear the arrow flying around my room and the battle scene was totally awesome is like I'm in the middle of the action.I love it!! the disc 2,you get a bonus material.This is a great DVD and those people who have a vcr and wanted to buy it,is not avalible on vhs at the store yet,buy a DVD player and Gladiator on DVD,you won't be disappointed.I've haven't.
Rating:
Summary: Suprisingly Beautiful...
Review: After such flawed epics as Braveheart and Titanic, I resigned myself to the fact that this film's main entertainment would be Russell Crowe looking intense for 3 hours. By the time the credits rolled I found myself wide eyed, halfway through the film I found myself transfixed by a formaula plot as though I had seen this formula for the first time. I walked away from the theatre with a sense of tragedy and satisfaction. Other than Saving Private Ryan, this is first "movie for the masses" I've really enjoyed. This story doesn't claim to be anything original.. It's a good old fashioned tale with modern technique. It's a faux-Shakespearean historical fantasy that's meant for fun and entertainment. I don't see why some people are judging it so harshly. If you don't like it, it just didn't appeal to you. Fine. It's a revenge play... Hamlet in the arena if you will... but what makes it work so well are the talented cast, music and beautiful costumes/sets. It plays on your emotions without being sappy, it doesn't have to have any really annoying overblown message to succede. It looks so good it dazzles your eyes, a familiar story yet you wait excitedly to see how it works out. It's just great fun, not tedious and arrogant like Spartacus and Ben Hur. Every scene is forward and to the point, none of this nonsense that makes other movies of this length just too long. Russell steals the show... but Nielson and Phoenix run him a close second. Lucilla is really a postive female role without being exaggerated. I really appreciated this.
Rating:
Summary: Like Rome must have been like!
Review: I'm a history teacher who has the pleasure of teaching about this time period. Though there are some fictional characters, etc., this film truely depicts what Rome looked liked and how it really felt to be there. The way that the gladiators trained and fought was really true to life. There was much more fighting with animals though, which was left out. I was hesitant to see this at the movies, because I thought it would be some cheezy depiction of over-glorified Roman life. Boy was I wrong. Though I can't show many clips to my 7th-grade class, the extra CD really gives good and accurate historical info for any history buff. SEE THE GRANDUER!
Rating:
Summary: Movie of the Year
Review: After a fairly disappointing summer, Gladiator has been released on DVD. After seeing the other summer "blockbusters", I was completly surprised by Gladiator. It combined a classic story (part vengance, part action) and incredible sets into an truely epic experience. In addition the acting is superb and the special effects seamless. The additions that the DVD include add to the value but the movie itself will remain timeless. Not since Ben Hurr has ancient Rome been depicated so perfectly.
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