Gladiator (Single Disc Edition)

Rating:
Summary: High gloss, thin content
Review: For the Gladiator enthusiast, this DVD set does it proud, supplying almost everything you could desire in a collector's edition. It's a pity that the movie itself does not deliver. The production values are gorgeous, but the storyline is so thin that its straightforward unfolding contains no surprises, and in essence the movie devotes its more than two hours of running time to a story of just three characters.

Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Summer Blockbusters of 2000
Review: This movie has the three ingredients that are required for success in the new milennium: spectacular digital effects, strong actors and an excellent plot. Russell Crowe brings his character to life, move over Bruce Willis, Russel Crowe is the new action hero. The movie begins with a larger than life introduction to the main characters, then the plot evolves very slowly until Maximus (Crowe) begins retaking his life. The climactic end is frosting on the cake, and the digital effects bring Rome to life.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed package design loses a star
Review: Assuming that one only buys DVD's of movies one really loves, I am not reviewing the movie itself. What more is there to be said about it? It's wonderful. The extras are equally incredible, up there with the best so far. My problem is with the packaging. Throwing the 2nd DVD in an envelope and using a regular single DVD case for this movie was a terrible idea. Gladiator deserves the full packaging treatment, like Fight Club, Magnolia and the new edition of Seven. The design of these packages add that something extra these films deserve. Jeers to Dreamworks for slacking on this one.

Rating:
Summary: Great Film
Review: What an amazing film. I was captured from the beginning to the end, and stood in awe as the movie came to a close. The music at the end is very beautiful and the soundtrack compliments the movie perfectly. Well done!

Rating:
Summary: An amazing epic
Review: First I guess I should warn you that if you couldn't take Saving Private Ryan's violent battle scenes, Gladiator may not be for you. But I hope that those of you in that category can get over it, because Gladiator is a wonderful movie. It is by far the best movie of the year, possibly even the past few years. From all angles it is superb, from costume design and musical score to special effects and the sets, and the cinematography as well. The acting is fantastic. Even lesser characters turn in finely tuned performances. Russell Crowe deserves an award for his portrayal of Maximus, the honorable ex-general who must fight his way to freedom and revenge. But Joaquin Phoenix steals the show as the insecure, shiftless emporer Commodus. He makes the new emporer a complex, multi-layered character that is very interesting. In less capable hands the part would have become a mere campy run-of-the-mill villain that would have been an insult to a movie as good as this. The movie's themes of honor and devotion are portrayed well. All of the good aspects of this movie far outweigh the violence, so I hope that you are willing to give it a chance.

Rating:
Summary: An epic
Review: In the run with some of the classics this one is not to be missed

Rating:
Summary: MOVE OVER BACON
Review: THIS WAS A GOODER MOVIE. I LIKE THIS MOVIE CAUSE IT WAS GOODER THEN TITANIC. I'M SERIOUS ABOUT THAT TOO. IT HAS A GOODER MESSAGE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT HURT ANIMALS CAUSE THEY LOVE PEOPLE TOO. I LIKED THIS MOVIE BUT ONE THING SCARED ME TOO MUCH TO WATCH IT MORE THEN ONE TIMES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE SAYING ALL THE TIMES. I SPEAK ENGLISH BUT I COULDN'T FOLLOW WHAT THEY WERE SAYING ALL THE TIMES. I LIKED THE GOODER SCENERY BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE ALOT OF BLACK IN IT. I'M NOT EVEN JOKING ABOUT THAT EITHER. EVERYONE SHOULD SEE THIS MOVIE FOR THE MESSAGE OF PEACE AND GOOD TIMES.

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE ROCKED!!!!
Review: After just recently seeing this film I couldn't wait for it to release on dvd/vhs.. Its spectacular. Many of my friends and family had loved the amazing tail of Maximus and his journey to reek revenge on Commodus. With superb acting and outrageous battle seens I would have to recommend this film to people of all ages. Its definitely one of the best films of 2000.

Rating:
Summary: This film reeks of cheese!
Review: I was excited to see Gladiator, I really was. I expected a lot from the man who gave us Alien. Then I actually saw it and thought to myself, what a waste of money (I'm talking about the film, not my six bucks). In the first battle, the film takes a decidedly "Hollywood" turn. The battle is shot in a mixture of slow motion and blurred shots that leave everything to the imagination and leaves you hanging before the movie's hackneyed plot even begins to unfurl in its oh so predictable manor. Compared to Braveheart, Gladiator's battles are nothing more than campy and predictable fight scenes ala John Woo films. The acting and the characters are paper thin. Rather than come across as a mean-spirited monarch, Juaquin Phoenix (who's bad in any movie) simply acts like a whiny baby and spends the whole movie trying to get into his sister's pants. Russel Crowe (pure window dressing) acts like a typical Russel Crowe and spends the movie rather void of emotion. In Ben Hur, you could see and believe the anger and fury in Charlton Heston's face when he was framed by his best friend. In Gladiator, Crowe looks like he's trying to remember whether or not he left the oven on. The best performance in the movie by far comes from veteran actor Richard Harris. Unfortunately, he's not in it for too long. The film is basically a carbon copy of oscar winning epics such as braveheart. Man loses someone close to him and is forced into a position he doesn't want to be in. He goes up agains tremendous odds, triumphs, earns the respect of his people, and dies in the end, and right before he dies, Crowe sees a vision of his deceased family (Braveheart anyone?). If you're looking for a good Roman epic. Wait until March when Ben Hur comes out on DVD.

Rating:
Summary: the best of a disappointing year in films.
Review: i thoroughly enjoyed this film when i saw it in the theatres and when i saw it later on DVD. i also enjoyed the extras, and was wondering why some of those scenes were left out, like the meeting between the senators and priscilla's character. it really showed the importance of what was going on. i thought the lion-mauling-a-boy-scene was pretty stupid though and glad that it was left out. it should have been left out of the deleted scene selection. but in any case, even now in december, without having seen crouching tiger, hidden dragon yet, gladiator is still the best movie of the year and i hope it is well honored at the oscars.