Rating: 
Summary: STUPENDOUS
Review: I'm usually leery of movies hyped as much as Gladiator before its release, particularly all the "how we made this movie" TV shows. I've come to expect them to be nowhere near as interesting as the advertising gurus portray them. I'm happy to say that wasn't the case this time. This was a first class effort all the way around, from acting, to scripting, to set and costume design, to music scoring, to editing, and to directing. The movie was a virtual time machine to an age where society had rules and values far different than ours today. This will be a "keeper" for me when the video is released.
Rating:
Summary: Maximus! Maximus! Maximus!
Review: I'm going to see the Gladiator for the 4th. time tonight, 'cause I just can't get enough of it. I craved for this movie since the first screenshots I saw about a year ago. Honestly I must say: I was a tad dissapointed the first time a saw it. Don't misunderstand me: I thought it was a great movie, but I couldn't help feeling it could have been a lot better. The opening is pure brilliance: A masterpiece of great editing, neat camerawork (hurrah for the steadycam!) and Zimmer's beautiful score. Thrilling, chickenpocks, the whole deal! The action scenes are in equel proportion to the dialogues, which, to my believes, are truly nicely written. Firstly, I thought that scene between Commodus and his father ("I have other virtues), was too much, I mean with the dramatic music along with it and everything. But two viewings later, I must say it stands as one of my favourite moments in the movie. The dialogue scenes and the action scenes are equally thrilling, wich you don't find a lot in a action movie. Acting is really good especially by the charismatic RUSSEL CROWE, the moviestar of the next decade. I love Joaquin Phoenix, okay so this role is a gift to every actor, but this guy is working his but of, Oscar-worthy performance! Promise of the year 2000, Ooops I have to go. I can go on and on for pages, but I do not need to! Just go and see this movie. Sheer movie magic! Hollywood is alive!Thumbs up!!
Rating: 
Summary: The revival of a dead genre?
Review: I must admit I have a soft spot for those old "sword and sandals" epics of the 50's and 60's. I believe BEN-HUR's chariot race to be one of the most amazing pieces of filmmaking ever made. I get a thrill out of watching tens of thousands of Spanish Army soldiers being used to recreate Rome's legions in SPARTACUS. Therefore, when I saw the trailer for GLADIATOR, with the music from CONAN THE BARBARIAN as a backdrop, I was excited about seeing this movie. Well, I saw it during its opening weekend, and I liked it. However, it didn't blow me away like LAST OF THE MOHICANS or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN did when I first saw them. I didn't leave the theater with a feeling of "Wow! I've got to see that one again!" I liked all the performances especially those of Crowe, Phoenix, and Reed. I liked the story of an honorable man's quest for vengeance against an evil tyrant. I liked the costumes and the sets. And I loved the opening sequence with the disciplined Romans going up against the wild, German barbarians- it looked like something from those picture history books on the Roman military which I loved as a kid. But I didn't like the herky-jerky camera work during the action scenes. This technique was utilized much better in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN which brought that film's combat scenes a jarring realistic quality; in GLADIATOR, I found this technique confusing and, at times, annoying. Also some plot devices were a little silly: Crowe's character is wounded in the forests of Germany, he then rides to Spain, and arrives with his wound still bleeding? I'm not going to nitpick any more. GLADIATOR may not have blown my socks off, but I still liked it. It's great to see the revival of a genre that I have always enjoyed, and I am glad to see these kind of films once again being made.
Rating:
Summary: Art!
Review: Some movies are a piece of artwork. You can see it in the visuals, feel it in the emotional truths being presented. This is that kind of film. It never sinks into sentimentality. Brutal, beautiful, the story of Maximus and his long, hard journey to get home is one you will never forget. A classic. It's Ridley Scott's best work since Bladerunner. Lastly, actor Russell Crowe, one of the best actors around, does a wonderful job. His performance is not to be missed. Art! Art! Art!
Rating:
Summary: approved by a Latin student
Review: If you like epics, fate, war films, or Roman history, you'll like Gladiator. I watched this film mainly to see how it handled ancient Rome, and was pleased with what I saw. The computer renderings of the temples and Coliseum of Rome are STUNNING. You really feel the city come to life. Yes, of course it's in English, but there's Latin phrases scattered here and there in the architecture. As for historical content, the movie takes many dramatic liberties. But given the overall quality of the drama, we can forgive that. All the parts are utterly convincing. Some parts of the movie feel a little contrived, but just when you think you can predict what happens next, there's some little twist to keep it fresh. The commentary on the Roman people as a mob to be swayed is especially interesting. We can draw parallels to today but that's not the point of the movie. There's a lot of violence in Gladiator, but that's consistent with history. Captures a fairly accurate flavor of ancient Rome, if not always the actual events.
Rating: 
Summary: Sorry, but we hated it....
Review: Sorry, but my wife and I hated the movie. We both actually fell asleep during one of the "wheat scenes". The special effects were easily seen as computer-generated (like the tigers), and the movie was overly violent. I feel like I'm in the Seinfeld episode where they were castigated for not liking "The English Patient", but it's the way I feel. An epic-length - sure, but not an epic.
Rating:
Summary: HOLY COW!! GLADIATOR IS AAAWWWWESOME!!!
Review: lemme tell all you peoples, i couldn't get my mind off GLADIATOR, after i saw it!! i was literally IN LOVE!(russell crowe, BABY!!) i'm sure everyone else doin' this review will get into details, but i just wanted to say that THIS WAS THE BEST movie i've EVER seen...yet, that is =) it was just TOTALLY AWESOME!!! i went to see it the first time with my drama class...we went on a field trip to see it, and by the end, i was in tears!! you will be too, just wait and see! =)
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Cast
Review: I have been a fan of R Crowe since 1992, he was great in LA Confidential and the Insider but this is his movie. The scenery,dialogue, action sequences, to me were wonderful. The soundtrack fit the movie. The supporting cast could not have been better. I've seen it twice and hope to see it again. This is Russell Crowes year and no actor of his generation deserves it more.
Rating:
Summary: Great entertainment
Review: Overall I really enjoyed Gladiator. The story was a bit light and some of the scenes were drawn out, but it has enough to keep you interested. Beyond this, the special effects really keep your attention. It is amazing to see Rome brought to life. Top this off with a very good sound track and you have a movie that provides solid entertainment value. On the downside, I question the authenticity of much of what is shown in the film. Did the Colleseum really look as it does in the movie or did Hollywood spiff it up a bit for film? Regardless of this, the film is definitely worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Braveheart in a Toga
Review: Actually, I liked this one better than the Mel Gibson epic, to which "Gladsiator" owes some of the opening battle scenes, in terns of style. The action is not as gory as I expected (good), and the cinemetography is startlingly good. It looks at times as if the horizon is convex, in moments when the hero, Maximus, is losing conciousness, dreaming, etc. The stoty-line is good, true to the larger flow of Roman history, and intense enough to warrent the viewre's full attention for the entire 2 1/2 hours. I was impressed with the level of detail. Everything looked authentic. The ambiance of Rome was, naturally, facistic. The standards, eagles, banners, and other regalia of Imperial Rome had the almost-gaudy look of 1920s Italy or early-30s Germany. True to period, but chilling nonetheless. The Coleseum scenes are exquisite, and worth the price of admission. Most of all, I like the historical 'what if?' What if the Stoic philosopher-king had been succeeded by someone other than his worthless son? Why would Marcus Aurelius have chosen Commodus, when he was the fifth 'Good Emperor' chosen by adoption, on the basis of merit? Ever since reading Gibbon's "Decline and Fall" as a teenager, this question has facinated me, as did this movie. -Lloyd A. Conway
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