Rating: 
Summary: Pretentious drivel
Review: This is, without doubt, one of the worst films I've seen in a loooooooooooong time. A sad reminder that even the best directors can have an off-day - and another, and another, and ... The action opens with a battle scene, filmed in the woods near Farnham in Surrey, England, which is so wrapped in gloom and haze that it tells us precisely nothing other than that the Romans had a more advanced armoury than their Germanic foe. Anyway, lots of noise and fire - looks like a good old-fashioned epic, right?
Wrong! To cut a long story short, there's a really hunky good guy - whose main problem is that he can't speak clearly, so most of the time we don't know what on earth he's talking about. But I suspect this doesn't really matter, because even when he does stop mumbling he never says much of any interest anyway.
Then there's a bad guy, and he's a patricidal creep of the first water who, amongst other things, has the good guy's family killed - so you can't wait for him to get what's coming to him. Only you do have to wait - for ages, and ages. Oh yes, there's also a heroine - but this is a real "mano a mano"-type film, so she never gets to be anything more than incidental set dressing. Now, you're never going to guess how it all turns out.
The good guy kills the bad guy. But the good guy dies as well, so he can rejoin his family in the great bye and bye. Then the film ends.
Bet that surprised you, didn't it! Actually there is one highlight in the film - Oliver Reed, proving what a very talented actor he was when in the right mood.
Even so, that Ridley Scott felt it worthwhile to drag this pretentious drivel out to nearly two and a half hours simply beggars belief. Tip 1: Always be wary of a film where the scriptwriter is also one of the producers. Tip 2: If this film is so great, how come people are queueing up to sell their copy?
Rating:
Summary: Barely Palatable
Review: I believe this is one of the top 10 over-hyped films in recent years--enough hype to garnish a Best Picture from the self-lauding Acedamy. In all of the two hours of so-called "honor" "courage" and "loyalty," all I seem to get is bad acting, a contrived story, and fast-moving scenes. It reminds me of eating a large vat of buttered popcorn, a big box of jujubees washed down with a 64 oz. soda--fills you up, but no nutrition.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't find words.
Review: Seeing this for the first time today, it was greater than I could've ever imagined. For the first in a long time I felt overwhelmed, dazzled and completely in identification with the movie. I truly admire the film, the writer, the director, and the crew - They've done a superb work. Reviving a distant history tale to life is an admirable achievement I will always salute to. The thing that seized me most of all is the model Mister Russell Crowe portrayed. This is certainly not a surprise, for he was meant to do just that, being the good hero, nevertheless, the core of his being still stands out, maybe more for people like myself than for others. I'm trying to express here that the Gladiator is unique for representing the survival of the is right and honorary in a world that is crumbling apart, and that is running out of all the things people consider as good, true and justified. Despite the horrible world surrounding him, Maximus (Crowe) manages to survive - But not by completely becoming a ruthless beast. He does develop and uses dreadful skills of an animal - but only to survive. Whenever he can the man of honor in him evokes to show that he isn't completely corrupted, and forward, to show that this good side is his true self. For that I'm humbled. I want to always remember this in spite of the world where living in, which tends to drag a man down a slippery road of corruption and acts that lack all honor. Our culture is degrading in a one-way direction toward decadence, and I think that anyone who objects this mainstream should stay true to what he believes in no matter what the rest do or think. It's a hard task, very hard; there are so many temptations out there, and obstacles to pass through. In here, Maximus give us an example of endurance - and for that he deserves all the credit we can give him - in return. Maybe a moral of the story could be that if you fight hard you will eventually win . I'd like to believe it is true. Russell Crowe has created in me one more sincere hope it is achievable, and it's a great sucess for itself. In the end, he did win the Oscar price, he earned respectively. In all the other aspects this film is magnificent . I'm glad the film has won all those Oscars, evidently, the best film of last year ,and of course - not one to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Simply amazing in scale and story telling!
Review: Gladiator has to be the best sandal and sword epic ever made! To be serious it doesn't have a single drop of camp in it! Unlike Ben-Hur or Spartacus-even though Gladiator is a send up of those past Hollywood mega productions the main difference is Russell Crowe his raw energy and stocky apperance lend a natural flow to the believability of the film. The dialouge will soon go down in pop culture history Just listen to any ranting speech that Joaquin Phoneix's character gives in the film. The direction by Scott is breathtaking i have never been a fan of his due to the fact in almost all Scott's movies outside of Thelma and Louise all the characters seem under developed and the main attraction is the violence but here there is a brilliant balance! Scott still treats the fight scenes as cold and haarsh as ever giving them a rev of heart pulsing urgency! But thanks to great acting by the ENTIRE cast never once is the fighting or personal strife unnatural. The cinematography is also great. Alot of critics dismiss Gladiator as summer fluff but it's more than that for all of the above mentioned reason and one that every critic wants to forget- IT WON BEST PICTURE AT THIS YEARS ACADEMY AWARDS!! AND RIGHTFULLY SO!!
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking screenplay, beautiful, harmonius score
Review: The first time I saw this movie, I admit, I cried at the end. The acting is spectacular and Russell Crowe was extroidinary for his role. Rome is brought alive again and the empire is not forgotten with the younger generation. I do also compliment the soundtrack, which I also own. The music is emotional and moving. When paired with the majestic, perfectly balanced images and story line, it creates a marvel far set apart from Hollywood's usual flicks. If ever there was a film in the modern age that is so accurate and astonishing, Gladiator is it. DVD brings the wonder of Rome back into our lives.
Rating: 
Summary: A good action flick
Review: Not the deepest movie of all time, but I'm a sucker for movies about Men of Honor perservering against the liers and cheaters of the world. (In my opinion Rob Roy is another, better version of this story.) The action sequences are top-notch and Russell Crowe portrays the quiet strength of a weary veteran quite well. The plot bogs down towards the end, and the final few scenes were a bit too melodramatic for my taste, but that's ok.
Rating:
Summary: Best Movie of the Decade!!!!!!!!
Review: This is one of the best movies you will see in a very long time. This movie has it all. It features great; action, adventure, drama, and a great plot. If you have not seen this, or do not even own it, I strongly recomnend that you purchase this movie!
Rating: 
Summary: Thumbs Down
Review: My respect for Oscar Awards received a jolt watching the movie. The jury has probably been carried away by the exotic subject matter, the inherent brutality or by the purportedly grand spectacle of the Roman Empire. Or may be some unknown consideration has influenced their decision. To be impressed by grand scale only, without caring a fig for storyline, characterization, smacks of childishness. Even in that parameter 'Gladiator' will get a thumbs down from me. Richard Attenborough recreated a grander scale in 'Gandhi' and handled more people on the sets, without sacrificing order and coherence. Haste seems to be the bane of the movie. So much has been squeezed into so little-both in terms of space and time. Both the opening battle scene in Germania and the fighting scenes inside the Colosseum present such a medley that even someone with 6/6 vision will be left groping for sense. And the murky shots will help compound his woes. Speaking of time, the narrative and characterization get a raw deal on that account too. Ultimately the movie comes out as a smorgasbord of disjointed visuals replete with blood and rage. This story of chivalry, velour, revenge, Roman politics, intrigue and not forgetting incest deserved a slower pace and more gradual development. The only saving grace for the movie is the masterly acting of Russell Crowe, the Gladiator.
Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: The extras in this DVD are fabulous. The "commentary" by Ridley Scott is actually a second copy of the entire movie with him talking about each scene as it takes place. Most of the deleted scenes are great; in a lot of movies, the deleted scenes are deservedly deleted, but for Gladiator, Scott cut them purely for time concerns, and they actually add to the movie as a whole. I loved it on screen, and as a DVD it's even better.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect in itz pure form
Review: Well, here I am again. I have watched all of this film and I have to say.. Wow! I watched it in the theater and forgotten about how good this movie is. Russel Crowe, got to give it to him. He's been in films before and now he is a star. The plot, the characters, and the special effects were just awesome. Problem, only in WIDE SCREEN. OMG, why didnt they make it both in wide and t.v. I'm sorry, I'm not going to go buy a wide screen t.v. just because most of the action flicks are wide screen. I be damned. Well until my next review.... Cya! IM OUT!!
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