Gladiator (DVD, 2000, 2-Disc Set)

The Gladiator is an excellent film, the roman empire, brutal savagery, mutilated corpses and armies waiting to honor its general. Rome is glory, come hither brothers, sons and fathers. In this world are Gods, in your life you will knee to Rome & in your soul and spirit you will give your blood.

A power struggle of good men will find out they are amoung evil hearts. Murder comes like cheap wine and the war heaps souls into cruel piles. General Maximus Decimus Meridias defender to Emperor Marcus Aurelius but when Commodus has slavery and fight in a ring of human Rome is overtaken by Commodus. Hopefully Maximus will restore power back to Rome. Rome will be Republican.

CAST>>>>>&​gt;>>Russell Crowe / Maximus ----- Joaquin Phoenix / Commodus ----- Connie Nielsen / Lucilla ----- Oliver Reed / Proximo ----- Richard Harris / Marcus Aurelius ----- Derek Jacobi / Gracchus ----- Djimon Hounsou / Juba David Schofield ----- Falco John Shrapnel / Gaius ----- Tomas Arana / Quintus ----- Ralf Moeller / Hagen ----- Spencer Treat Clark / Lucius

155 min / Region 1 / English / Color.

Proximo & Maximus had quotes which I thought was part of the films genuine plot: To profit from death your a "Gladiator". A Spaniard has the "Gods of the Sun". Rated R, children with adult supervision 5*****

I really enjoyed this movie! Russell Crowe plays the role of the general-turned-slave, Maximus without effort. In his mid-thirties, Crowe inhabits his character with proper authority and confidence. Maximus is tough, muscular, and not afraid to fight hand to hand combat and risk dying with his men.

The film starts by chronicling the northern armies of Rome, an epic battle against a Germanic horde in 180 A.D. The film engages awesome battle footage. There are archers shooting flaming arrows; precursors to artillery abd huge incendiary bombs launched from catapults while the charges explod on impact in the trees that are sheltering the enemy! The combat itself, with heavily armored legions marching against the whooping middle European natives, is realistic and a bit bloody,but nonetheless thrilling and explosive!

Maximus is victorious, and is complimented by the emperor himself, Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris). This Caesar asks his best general what he wants; Maximus replies he wants to return to his wife and son, and their farm, outside of Rome. Of course the complication is that the emperor, offers him a form of power of succession. Maximus would not be a dictator, which Marcus and previous Caesars have been. Instead, he would serve as a sort of sergeant at arms to the Roman Empire, the administration and allowing power to return to the Senate. Rome would once again be the republic it was at its founding...

More intrigue surfaces when the emperor’s real son and daughter enter as they are ushered to the battle, after the death dealing is done. Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus, who believes he will be the next dictator, and is sister Lucilla played by Connie Nielson. Her character is the smarter of the two, more politically canny and much wiser. She also apparently had been involved with Maximus prior to his marriage to another.

The Special Effects are stunning! Scenes showing ancient Rome, painstakingly recreated with the Old World flavor of a living city.

An Excellent movie that I highly recommend seeing if you already haven't has the opportunit, and if you have, revisited again and again!

I love history, and to me, Gladiator is a masterpiece. It is the most accurate picture of the Roman Empire Hollywood has ever put out. People declare Spartacus a masterpiece, but Gladiator far outdoes Spartacus in quality. The costuming, the acting, the screenplay, the scenery, and the fighting styles made me think that I had traveled back to 180 A.D. Russell Crowe is a true Hollywood tough guy, and he is superb in this movie. Joaquin Phoenix is outstanding as a villain, one of the best in movie history. He played his character as if it were a psychologist's dream case. Connie Nielsen plays one of the strongest female characters that I have ever seen. The choreographer of the action sequences was brilliant. Ridley Scott did an outstanding job in recreating the Empire, including the multitude of ethnic groups within the Empire and accurately depicting everyday life. If you're looking for insight into what the Roman Empire was like, this is a perfect depiction.

This is wonderful storytelling. The opening Battle Scene simply mesmerizes, showing the brutal nature of combat for Roman conquests. I went back to see the film again. The first time I didn't hear anything Crowe said before the battle. I was just too visually caught-up. The second time I listened very closely and caught the wise yet succinct line from Maximus "what we do in life... echoes in eternity." Awesome.

A simple man v. an emperor. I just loved the resilience Maximus showed throughout the movie. I find in most movies, there is an irritatingly slow process where the character has to "find himself," not so with Gladiator. Maximus does what is needed.

I liked how there were only two or three issues within this film. One was the afterlife. Aspects of the afterlife are opened, but not overdone. Love of family is given sizable focus. I liked the theme of love of country that we see as well, although it may not be justly deserved, it is never questioned.

The visual effects were amazing. It actually had me wanting to believe that's the way Rome actually looked in all it's glory. The battle of Carthage reenactment was really great.

The ending is just hypnotic. Intentionally or unintentionally it was simply emotional. The music is wonderfully beautiful as if Maximus' family are telling him...you have arrived.

Bottom line: magnificent. Visually and emotionally satisfying.

Here is a tale worthy of Homer or Aesop. An new story told about an ancient time that barely touches on the brutality between the “haves” and the “have-nots” of antiquity. This fiction-could-be-fact story, if you were able to break some steadfast rules of Roman law, makes for a good depiction of ambition, corruption and espionage that was Rome. My wife agrees that not since Ben Hur and Spartacus has a gladiator movie held our interest so well, (of course Russell Crowe may have captured a bit more of my wife’s attention than the plot). Connie Neilson as Lucilla was fantastic as ever and I wish to see her act in more movies. Gladiator is so good that even the sub-standard acting of Joaquin Phoenix, cast as the perverse Commodus, couldn’t ruin this movie. A must have for any movie collection.