Rating: 
Summary: Oustanding reinvention of the 'sword and sandal' genre
Review: Film, more than any other art, has the wherewithal to create an epic tale. One reason is that the medium is literally larger than life. The screen exaggerates everything. Another reason is that most people who make movies are gamblers by nature. They often invest staggering sums of money on a single movie. Sometimes, they hit the jackpot. The three most successful movies of all time are Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, and Titanic. Each had an epic tale to tell. Each cost a fortune, made back an even larger fortune, and became legend in the public's eyes. Since Titanic was released just three years ago, it appears that this form of movie making is as popular as ever. This year we have Gladiator. Financially it did well, though grossing nowhere near what the Big Three did. Artistically, it's as good as almost epic I can think of. It certainly disproves the notion that the 'sword and sandal' movie is dead and buried. The place is the Roman Empire. The time is the Second Century AD. A Roman army, led by Maximus [Russell Crowe], is ready to wage a decisive battle against fierce Germanian troops. Winning the battle will bring to Rome and its emperor, Marcus Aurelius [Richard Harris], peace for the first time in years. Marcus has been at the battle front for many months and is now joined by his children, Cummodus [Joaquin Phoenix] and Lucilla [Connie Nielson]. After the battle, which is a most intense and brilliantly orchestrated piece of film making, Marcus gives Maximus, whom he loves like a son, many new responsibilities, though Maximus wants nothing more than to return to his farm in Spain and to his wife and son. The treacherous and insane Cummodus, terrified that Maximus will prevent his succeeding to the throne, plots to have Maximus killed. While the hero escapes, he pays a terrible price and winds up becoming the gladiator of the title. Lucilla, who also loves Maximus, can do nothing, for fear that Cummodus will harm her young son. In Gladiator Russell Crowe has finally found his way to major stardom. He is perfect as Maximus, giving him a macho facade that masks a loyal, caring and intelligent man. Joaquin Phoenix gives the best performance of his career to date as Cummodus. The two actors make formidable onscreen adversaries in several chilling scenes, most of which take place in a nicely rendered vision of the Roman Coliseum as it might have appeared all those years ago. Connie Nielson gives the wily and brilliant Lucilla a majesty reminiscent of Cate Blanchette in Elizabeth. Bringing added depth to the movie are three older actors - Richard Harris, Oliver Reed and Derek Jacobi. Harris and Reed were major stars in their own right in the early 1960s and early 1970s. Sadly, Reed died just after completing his role, and Gladiator is dedicated to him. Director Ridley Scott is one of the best, bringing elegance, style and substance to most of his movies. He had directed such diverse pictures as Alien, Blade Runner and Thelma and Louise.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome entertainment, with a moral subtext
Review: Gladiator is a seductive film. But underneath the grandiose visuals, the classic acting, and the macho fight scenes, lies a disturbing question. "Remind me why we're here?" the aging emperor Marcus Aurelius asks his favorite general and heir designate, Maximus, at the end of a long and bloody campaign against German barbarians. "For the glory of Rome" replies Maximus, displaying a soldier's instinctive loyalty but also a dangerous naivete. For Maximus has never even been to Rome, and as Marcus Aurelius is quick to point out, the general's loyalty is misplaced -- Rome has become corrupt, and its wars are driven by baser motives than glory. Thus begins "Gladiator", an epic tragedy that is rooted in the bloodthirsty expansionism of the Roman empire, but also in Maximus' fatal refusal to confront the danger of imperial politics and the homicidal egos of his masters. The very contradiction embodied in Maximus, is this: he is at heart a farmer and a loving family man, yet he has left his home in order to serve the Roman army, wherein he has become a ruthless, efficient killing machine. He is an instrument of destruction and enslavement of foreign people whose only fault, after all, is a stubborn desire to remain free of Rome -- the very freedom that Maximus secretly wants for himself. This deep moral pit requires a brutally painful expiation process. Maximus is condemned to undergo a personal odyssey -- from general to fugitive to slave to gladiator to hero -- not just to recapture his dignity, but also to pay penance for having so long lived by the sword. Maximus however is blind to his own fault in all this; he only sees himself as a wronged party. And so the cost to his soul is redoubled. He loses his beloved family, his home, his freedom, his life, and he comes close to losing his very humanity in a succession of grisly gladiatorial arenas. In the end, Maximus does vanquish his personal foes, but can find freedom and rest only in death...But instead the director chose to keep the focus of "Gladiator" on personal heroics. In the absence of a religious denouement, the film's finale is bursting with sadness. "Gladiator" serves not only as awesome entertainment, but also as a moral warning against the awful banality of violence and the vicious cycle of personal revenge.
Rating:
Summary: Spectacular Film
Review: Russell Crowe shines as Maximus in "Gladiator". The movie starts off intense with a great battle and barely stops all the way to the end. The only flaw I found with the film is around the 2 hour mark the movie seems to start dragging its feet a little bit. Also, if you are not a fan of gore, this may not be the movie for you. The DVD effects are as loaded as any DVD I have ever seen. An excellent way to start your DVD collection with a fine historical action movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Zzzzzzzzzzz!
Review: What a snooze-fest. Terribly over-rated. There's so much talk, talk, so many long, long shots of facial expressions that you want to scream: okay, let's have some action! Even the action sequences are akwardly handled. Russell crowe is terrif but Ridley Scott could have borrowed some of the fun from the Steve Reeves muscle epics. This flick takes forever to get started. 'Scuse me while I watch "Hercules" starring the incomparable--and vastly more watchable Steve Reeves.
Rating: 
Summary: Where's the big ending?
Review: It begins with this massive battle. The special effects are spectacular, the cinematagrophy is outstanding and for those who enjoy blood and guts you get that too. It sets up the character of General Maximus very well. All of the events after lead to a big good guys vs. bad guys battle at the end. That all deflates in the coliseum of Rome. The whole movie looks and sounds excellent on DVD and the extras are great.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: I understand why so many people hate this movie, it is a little slow at the beginning and action fans will not be used to this. the first time i saw this i did fall aslepp but the second time i watched it i was amazed this is one of the best films ever made.The directing and acting are amazing! The people who dont like this movie are the people who only like movies that have constant action, they dont like the movies that take there time! but you'll find the best movies are the one's that take there time (e.g. pulp fiction,l.a. confidential,the usual suspects,seven etc)
The movie is 5 stars the disc is 5 stars
if you only by one movie this year by this!
Rating:
Summary: A real epic
Review: Every summer there's at least one blockbuster movie. Usually it's a complete no-brainer, but 'Gladiator' proved otherwise. The premise is basic as Maximus (Crowe) battles his way through the gladitorial arenas to win his freedom and avenge the deaths of his wife and son. Ridley Scott is one of those directors that every so often really hits the big time with his movies such as 'Alien' and 'Thelma And Louise', and 'Gladiator' is one such movie. It manages to drag up the old gladiator epic and breathe new life into it without resorting to camp. Using state of the art computer graphics you'll believe that you're actually seeing ancient Rome and this is definitely a highly cinematic film that loses something on video. The acting is fantastic as well. This burst Russell Crowe into the big league, something that anyone who had previously watched 'The Insider' or 'LA Confidential' already knew to be inevitable. As loner Maximus he is perfectly cast and manages to bring to his character what is perhaps left out in the script. As the villainous emperor, Joaquin Phoenix is genuinely creepy and actually quite unconventional as well. The emperor's sister Lucille is also played with vigour by Connie Nielson and Oliver Reed turns in a last performance as a gladiator owner. Unfortunately 'Gladiator' does tend to modernise the premise, with a few politically correct characters thrown in as an afterthough. Over anything else this is a blockbuster and as such can't be viewed as anything truly revelatory. Yet viewed simply as a movie it is a stunning breakthrough: utterly breathtaking and compelling in equal measure.
Rating:
Summary: Swords and Sandals.
Review: Hugely entertaining flick about a warrior (Crowe) who loses his family, becomes a slave, and trains himself to compete as a gladiator. What it lacks in substance it compensates in style. Director Ridley Scott keeps the energy going; just make sure you hold onto something during the fight scenes. Equally good is Joaquin Phoenix as the prissy emperor out to destroy Maximus. Even better, the DVD itself is a standard all other releases should follow. The picture is Ginsu-sharp and the sound will certainly rock your speakers, even if you don't have the 5-channel surround sound system. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT FILM!!!
Review: This is one of my most favorite films of all time if you are interested in Ancient history or like movies like Spartacus or Ben-Hur you should LOVE Gladiator!
Rating:
Summary: Historically accurate
Review: Being a champion of the Sticky Rice, Ridley Scott (who made the seminal RiceRunner and the haunting Black Rice) embarked on the true history of the Rice in Europe. And he didn't disappoint. It tells of a head chef, played with great aplomb by Russell Crowe, who is part of the Roman empire's quest to spread pasta throughout Europe. After banishing the upstart Germans and their sausages, Russell wants to return home to and start up a hawker store and introduce the Sticky Rice to his local community (and Laksa as well - he loves his chilli). However the young upstart emperor, played with a maniacal hongkie zeal by Joaquin Phoenix has other ideas. He wants to open up a new chain of restaurants where waiters are put into a ring and have to cook up a plate of pasta while dodging drunk lions, belligerent Zulus and other restaurant competitors who want to steal their recipe. And so Russell is thrust into it! There are great waitering action sequences here. Witness Russell and his band of waiters cook up a plate of Fettuccine Bosialoa while dodging fish and chips from the English and tacos from the Mexicans. However the supreme moment is when Russell is near death and what it looks like,to be maggots festering in his wound. For all aficionado's of the Rice, we know that it was actually sticky rice pouring out of his body to heal the wound. Full marks must go to Ridley for daring to reveal the secrets of the Sticky Rice sect and exposing the trials and tribulations of the first hawker food owners in Europe. Just a side note, while filming in Morocco, Ridley Scott actually
introduced the Sticky Rice to the local cuisine. The community devoured it. They now have developed their own Sticky Rice - has a dash of sand in it. Believe me, might sound a bit funky but it gives it a nice
crunchy flavour.
| 
