The epic adventure we've been waiting for!

Rating: 10/10 (28 May 2000)

Gladiator takes you back to the days of the Roman empire and gives a perspective of what life in 180 a.d. might be like. Not since the days of Ben Hur or Spartacus have we had a movie like this. It tells the story of Maximus, the saluted Roman general who becomes a slave and a gladiator after Commodus, the sinister son of the old emperor Marcus Aurelius, through patricide takes over the position of emperor and slays the general's wife and son, destroying his life. Maximus swears revenge and fights his way to the mighty stage of the Colloseum in Rome, where he squares off with his foe.
I saw this movie at the premiere in a theater with over 600 seats, a screen reaching 65 feet from side to side, and the most brutal THX sound system this side of the known universe. The place was packed to the brim with people, dying to see this movie. From the beginning to the end, two and a half hours later, this movie delivers on all levels! Everyone in the audience started to applaud when the movie was over, something I haven't experienced since the premiere of Episode I, as they, just like me, were in utter awe of what they had just seen.
From the acting to the photography, from the music to the realistic brutal violence, this movie never failed. It's a master piece deserving both a second and a third viewing at the cinema, and a definite pre-order when it hits DVD. Ridley Scott hasn't made anything this good since Blade Runner and Alien.
I can't recommend this movie enough. You simply have to go see this picture now!