Rating: 
Summary: Classicism Lives!
Review: My brother, who majored in ancient history, and I, a Latin and Greek major, saw this film last summer. We talked about it for at least three hours afterwards, both because of its "Shakespearean" story and because of the extraordinary amount of correct detail in the film. We were particularly struck by the opening scene, which looked exactly as we had both pictured Tacitus's account of Germania. There are many, many excellences in the details, the story and the acting, so many, in fact, that one is left simply to say "Thank God classical films can be made."
Rating:
Summary: Bravo!
Review: This movie was amazing.. It had some weak points in the plot and maybe some scenes that could have been cut with no effect on the movie.. I recently purchased a DVD player/ this movie on DVD. Having seen it originally on VHS, I look forward to seeing it in the cleaner, sharper picture that DVD offers. The direction was excellent, and several of the scenes were (for a lack of a better term) really COOL. What most people don't realise is that you have to suspend belief somethimes to truely enjoy a movie. If you don't, you'll spend so much time nit picking through the movie, you'll never get to enjoy what you paid for. After all, how many of the "beloved classics" have scenes in them that seem a bit far fetched? (A being picked up by a tornado and dropped on a Wicked Witch in Munchin Land?) In cocnlusion- good movie. If you have a DVD player, buy it. If not, get the VHS cuz' it's worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Gladiator, the best film of 2000.
Review: Ridley Scott silenced naysayers with his fantastic Roman Epic, Gladiator. I absolutely love some of earlier Ridley Scott's films, and any Ridley Scott fan would absolutely love gladiator. It is a very visually slick film, the cinemetography is top notch. The look and feel is amazing. The action is supurb. Part of the popularity of this movie has to deal with the amazing fight scenes that are portrayed in this movie. Yes, the fight scenes are incredibly directed and are very intense. Even with all its technical prowess and action spectacles, Gladiator is not great because of this. These aspects just greatly enhance what underlies it all: A fantastic story about a man and his longing for home. The story and interaction between the characters is fantastic. The general who became a slave, the slave who became a gladiator, the gladiator that defied an empire..... it is often an epic and ever engrossing film. My only complaint with the film (and keeping it from being a modern classic) is some problems with the script.... I would have liked to see more of the senate and the political dabblings of these corrupt individuals. Oh well, can't ask too much. Gladiator should and deserves the oscar award. This is one of Ridley Scott's finest films.
Rating:
Summary: One Of The Best Movies Ever Made!
Review: A riveting,thought-provoking masterwork with intense,harrowing,awesome battle scenes both on the field and the coliseum;Oscar-worthy performances by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix;and brillant direction by Ridley Scott.If you don't have this sure-to-be-Best Picture,GET IT NOW!
Rating: 
Summary: ...What was so great about this movie?
Review: I am really really surprised at all these amazing reviews that this movie is getting, and am just baffled that the academy would nominate this for best movie. It's basically Braveheart with no plot, no interesting characters or plot twists, and even MORE historically inaccurate. The action scenes weren't as impressive either. I mean... this movie was GOOD, but nothing more. This movie had no dramatic effect, and I predicted the entire movie during the first ten minutes. The ending was boring, the scene where his wife and son died was stupid because you never even saw the characters before this took place, therefore how is it supposed to move you? And why the hell were there so many damn british accents in ancient Rome? The main character Maximus is not a great actor either, why he was nominated for best actor is just beyond me. Basically, there were only two good points about this movie -- The direction WAS good and impressive, but Ridley Scott just tries to make a movie good with needless violence which is why Hannibal was no good. The second good point was the action, there was a lot of it, but there just was no real EMOTION behind it like in Saving Private Ryan or Braveheart, so this movie really did nothing for me. To me it was just two or three hours of somewhat entertaining violent action sequences. If you want to see the movie that SHOULD win best picture this year, go out and see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing!!!
Review: Having heard so many wonderful things about this film, I expected a lot. I was quite disappointed - great cast but not great acting. I was bored through most of it and not even Russell Crowe was worth watching. He is most brilliant in ROMPER STOMPER! GLADIATOR certainly does not measure up to the great SPARTACUS!!!
Rating:
Summary: An Epic Saga
Review: A friend told me not to waste my time watching this. Boy, was he wrong. I bought the DVD here from Amazon and have watched everything on the DVD within 2 days. Yes I even watched the movies with commentary. I loved it. WOW! From the great Battles of Roman Legions in Germania to Morocco and then Rome. What an Epic. I felt like I was there...And no where is their a part wher eyou feel you want to pause the movie. it is a non stop watcher. You must see this.....
Rating:
Summary: I loved it!
Review: Russel Crowe plays the main character, Maximus, a comander in the Emporors (I think that is how you spell it) army. The Emporor is growing old and does not have much time left, he decides to have Maximus take his place instead of his own son. He does not believe his son would make a good Emporor. Before he can make his announcement he mysteriously dies. Now the son is trying everything so that Maximus will not take his rightful place.Don't worry this all happens in the first 15 minutes so I am not ruining anything! This movie is full of suspense, action, gore (uggg, they could have left that out) but I loved it, I really did! The actors did an amazing job! It is must see!
Rating: 
Summary: Another one bites the dust
Review: I don't get it. Everytime I see one of these mega-movies they all look the same. The filmmaking style just bored me to tears. Talk about a formula. All the elements are just recycled from every other period action/adventure film. They lost me with the opening battle scene. By the way, If you want to see a great battle scene with a wonderful score check out "Ran" by Kurowsawa. He turns the battle sounds off and turns up the score, for a truely amazing experience. Everytime the action is indoors we get a cut and a close up every 4 seconds. No hold on the master shot where the actors are free to move within the frame. Terrible filmmaking (editing). I felt like I was watching TV with an overblown budget. Needless to say I "walked out" on this one early and never finished the DVD. I'd rather "read the book" and use my imagination. I give it one star for the effort it took to stage the opening battle scene. But then again, most of it was probably computer generated. No soup for you! Zero stars.
Rating:
Summary: I would put 10 stars if they would let me!
Review: WOW is all I can say. What an intense movie, it's 2+ hour time just zooms by as you are entranced in a tale of fame and glory. I don't care what any critics say, this is a must own for DVD and movie fans. Crowe is amazing as Maximus. One of the best DVDs ever IMHO.
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