Rating: 
Summary: Forget the analysis!
Review: Many of the other reviews seem to be stuck on analyzing the metaphor or historical meaning of this film. I say, ignore them. This is a brilliant work or historical fiction, with excellent acting, a decent plot, engaging characters and incredible spectacle. Those factors make up a completely enjoyable film which sucks you in and leaves you wanting more at the end. Period. It's beautiful to watch and has a good story to boot, and that is more than enough for me.
Rating:
Summary: HAIL CEASER!!
Review: In the same vain as monumental action/historical pictures: Spartacus and Braveheart to name a few. Gladiator serves well to keep the tradition strong. The story of General Maximus of the Roman Empire is an inspiring journey of persaverence and elevation despite the odds. Maximus is ousted from Rome during a cruel conspiracy headed by the less than moral "heir apparent" Commadus. Without divulging any key information, subsequently this is when the "fun begins". During his odyssey he is transformed into an entertainer for the masses who crave the blood and guts arena in which he performs. An overlooked screenplay is blanketed by the unreal vivid action scenes. These seat gripping scenes are ultra violent, but fit well within the context of the story. So, I feel comfortable attending this movie with a mature twelve year old. If you have the chance, I suggest you view this movie in a wide screen DVD environment to capture the true essence of this great movie!!
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have DVD!
Review: I had heard Gladiator was a great movie, but I never expected the DVD would be so good. The 2 disc set pretty much captures everything you are looking for in a top notch DVD. The movie, which I did not see in the theater, was an exciting, adventurous epic that grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go. I honestly did not expect Russell Crowe to be a convincing lead, but he pulls it off in great fashion. I am very pleased with the DVD and the movie as a whole. Definately worth the money to pick this one up!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent movie..well made..A+
Review: This movie is incredible! It's a little intense for people with mild tolerence, but definately worth seeing. I've seen it multiple times, and it's just as good every time as it was the time before. You'll love this movie..Incredibly well directed..Ridley Scott gets a 10 out of 10 on this one from me..Incredible!
Rating:
Summary: A Classic If There Ever Was One
Review: I saw it in the theater and i was sucked right into it. It's just over two and a half hours but u wouldn't know it. It goes by so fast and leaves u wanting to see it again. It has everything adventure, action, romance, elements of horror, fiction, non-fiction and a few comedic moments. This movie is compared to Braveheart, The Patriot Conan the Barbarian and other movies and it stands up to n e on of those. Though i feel it isn't as good as Braveheart it is very close. Some say it's too gory u obviously haven't watched Conan the Barbarian. Conan is an extremely gory movie (very good movie but gory) and Gladiator would be a joy to watch after, to get away from all it's blood shed. N e ways an excelent movie and DVD really does help out.
Rating:
Summary: A good solid story, not just flash and dash
Review: Not being a fan of overly violent movies I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this film. There is an excellent story line here. However, I will caution you, I left prior to some of the easily anticipated violent scenes. I just can't take the gore. I really can't say how bad some scenes were. The movie is about Russell Crowe's main character Maximus who gets majorly shafted after many years of good service to the Roman empire. He resurfaces after being thought dead to right some wrongs. I'd rather not say why or how as this may ruin the story for you, however, Russell Crowe was a perfect pick for this role. He does a wonderful job. Having first seen him in "The Insider" I did not know he was an actor who had many action films under his belt. His range is amazing. The rest of the cast is equally impressive Joaquin Pheonix oozes psychotic behavior in his role as Commodus son of Caesar Marcus Aurelius, another perfect pick. Richard Harris was an excellent pick to play the role of Marcus Aurelius and plays the wise leader with great finesse. Connie Nielsen plays Lucilla sister to the evil Commodus and displays the careful demeanor of one who is under the power of a maniac. Oliver Reed is Proximo the "owner" of the Gladiators and brings his exuberance last seen in the Three Musketeers to his final role. He is a former Gladiator and longs for the "old" days when that meant something. The set design and special effects were wonderfully done. You can see the horror of war and the spectacle of the arena. I can see why this film was so well applauded when it first came out.
Rating:
Summary: Best film of 2000
Review: With this film Russell Crowe cements his place amongst the elite of the world's top actors, a group he was on the verge on joining after stellar performances in LA Confidential and others. He plays the Roman general Maximus, a man of principle in an empire of corrupt politics, who falls afoul of the jealous new Emperor Commodus (a great Joaquin Phoenix) who kills his father Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) upon learning he plans to hand the Empire to Maximus. An attempt is made on Maximus' life but sadly the men sent to Maximus' family succeed in killing them. Whilst captured by slavers and sold into the arena, Maximus finds himself unable to let go and die, and victory after victory leads him back to Rome and closer to a revenge on the man who destroyed all he had. Director Ridley Scott is a sure hand on the tiller, delivering the years most magnificent spectacle. The multinational cast deliver superior performances, including a final swansong from Oliver Reed. In response to Tokyo-dude who found some things hard to swallow I would point out that he is in error for most of them. Maximus never witnessed Aurelius' death though he suspected Commodus of murder. He was arrested by Praetorians Commodus brought along, not his own troops, when he is about to be executed he addresses one as Praetorian. The Romans swore loyalty to Rome not their general, mutineers were routinely decimated (10% of them killed by drawing lots) by scourging and beheading, Maximus' own troops would have known this risk. Maximus' family were in Spain not central Italy and the terrain is the Massif Central in France and The Pyrenees. And the Praetorians assumed Maximus dead which is why the troops weren't waiting for Maximus to show up. Commodus was shocked to find Maximus still alive. It's the missing out of the sea-crossing to North Africa that left me puzzled but the film was so good it didn't spoil my enjoyment and nor should it spoil anyone else's.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent!!! (although nothing is perfect)
Review: Although it seems it's been the most reviewed movie of 2000, I can't refrain from saying a few words in its praise. If you're not blind or from Mars, you must have seen this epic "how a general became a slave, the slave became a gladiator, the gladiator who defied an emperor". The movie has been compared to Ben Hur and Spartacus (from which it drastically differs, having in common only historical background and costumes; as Star Wars of 1977 differs from Phantom Menace 1999; it has been compared to Braveheart (the latter being much more steeped in patriotism and historical inaccuracy). It has also been blamed for being theatrical (and it is) and pathetic (oh, thumbs up), and illogical (indeed, flight to Spain over hundreds of kms to save his family and this abduction of Maximus by slave-traders are, well, unconvincing. Its success has been cemented by three ingredients: R Scott's director's genius and talent "to create worlds", R Crowe's colossal charismatic performance that as magnet glues your eyes to screen whenever he's in frame and CGIs. However, so much has been dwelt on their grandeur in creating the world of the Ancient Rome, that I'll skip this part. All the CGIs prove once more that still (and thank God), movies are held together and brought to fame by actors. R Crowe fits in perfectly (imagine someone else in his place now? Impossible!), he's of the new actors whose talent comes from within - you can rewatch some scenes for a dozen times only to catch change of emotions on his face or expression of eyes (exhibit 1: Maximus scraping off Pretorian insignia from his shoulder - mixture of choked up pain, hatred and wry humor; exhibit 2: last conversation with Commodus - mixture of hatred, defiance and surprise and many others). Well, I like him so much I'd spare you and save the extra-space of this site. Watch for him, he'll get his Oscar if not this year, then the next. The supporting cast is harmonious as well: especially J Phoenix: although his Commodus is a capricious spiled brat, but watch his royal profile and gait, contempt in cold eyes and hidden fear. C Nielsen as his sister is not less ambitious and powerful, only in a more subtle way (I'd bet she was the one to jilt Maximus, not the other way round). The music is opera-suiting, sounds in your brain long after the movie is over. The finale is ... well, the best you can expect from Hollywood. Pathos is towering to heaven, but still sends shivers down your spine and mist into your eyes. I'd ask happy DVD owners: has there been any alternative ending in mind? To sum it up, although I'm a VERY BIG movie fan, it's the first movie EVER that I've watched for 4 times during last 1.5 months. It's a treasure for your home collection. PS: My greatest fear now is that R Crowe will squander his newly minted stardom and huge talent on some brain-dumb movie. Greatest hope - maybe someone will dare to revive Spartacus or come up with story of Alexander?
Rating:
Summary: Belongs up there with "Spartacus" and "Ben Hur"
Review: This is an extraordinary epic which takes place at the end of the reign of the Antonine emperors. OK, so they do fudge history, but so what? It's a magnificent story of a fictional character (a Roman General named Maximus, played by Crowe) who comes into contact with historical characters, such as Marcus Aurelius and his ignominious son, Commodus. There are also allusions to the great Roman orator Cicero (his name bequeathed to Maximus' servant) and the Gracchus brothers (Gracchus is the name of a benevolent senator in the film). There are also some nice references made to the Battle of Zama (in 202 - defeat of Hannibal), Antony & Cleopatra and Cladius Caesar. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the film lies in its depiction of Aurelius & Commodus. Aurelius is seen as a magnificent and magnanimous leader; history remembers him as the closest anyone has ever come to Socrates' "philosopher king." Commodus is just as accurately portrayed as the vile, corrupt ignoramous that he was. During his reign, there was a rumor which spread thru all of Rome that Aurelius' wife had had an affair with a sailor. According to the scuttlebut, Commodus was the result of the episode; the Romans simply refused to believe that a man so despicable as Commodus could come from the loins of the noble Aurelius. The presentation of his character in this movie brings that out exceptionally well. This is yet another instant classic directed by the creative genius of Ridley Scott. The film is well done & the sets take you back to the height of the Roman empire. For background information on this period, I would recommend reading Marcus Aurelius' stoic "Meditations" as well as Michael Grant's "The Antonines." The latter book covers this epoch of Roman history. These are not essential, but do offer a nice backdrop as to what's going on during this age. They could very well increase the viewer's enjoyment of this marvelous visual spectacle.
Rating:
Summary: Flawless Production
Review: This movie is one of the best I have seen in a long time. It tells the tale of one Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Spanish General of the Roman Army in the year 180 A.D. After winning a great battle against the barbarians, the old king, Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris), decides to make this brilliant general the Caesar of Rome upon his death. He says that he will be ideal because he has not been corrupted by Rome's politics. However, Aurelius's son, Commodus, Maximus's friend, is jealous at the Spaniard and kills his father, and thus he seizes control of the Roman Empire. He orders Maximus and his wife and son killed. Maximus kills nearly half a dozen soldiers and escapes, but his family is crucified. After he escapes, he is captured by a man who organizes gladiator fights to turn a profit. Maximus was to participate in one of these events; he won. Not only by staying alive did he achieve victory, but he also won over the crowd. Then he is sent to Rome, where he has his chance to fight back at the emperor who killed his wife and son. The acting is excellent all around, especially Crowe and Phoenix. The scenery and costumes are all outstanding, bringing the Roman Empire to life. The DVD is simply amazing, with great sound and picture quality, plus deleted scenes. This movie is nothing less than a classic; an epic. It is definitely worth purchasing here. A fine combination of literate messagery and light entertainment. Worth a look.
| 
