There are not enough superlatives to describe this movie.

Rating: 10/10 (3 October 2010)

Some movies are made to be watched over and over again, that's how good they are. Gladiator is one of those movies. It has all the elements that makes for a good movie. There is a compelling story, an altruistic hero, a sinister villain, a damsel and her young son, excellent musical score, great cinematography, great support cast, strong dialog and a solid finale. The movie has become a Hollywood icon. Its characters have achieved legendary status. Jaoquin Phoenix is superb as the Emperor Commodus, who is reviled by everyone, including his own sister. (Yet this does not stop the indefatigable emperor from doing his paperwork.) Russell Crowe gives a tour-de-force performance as Maximus, the hero general who refuses to cave in to the vindicative and jealous emperor. Oliver Reed, in his final performance, is great as Maximus's friend and ally. The scenes in the Colosseum are spectacular; the Colosseum itself is shown in all of its grandeur, a fitting venue for the kinds of spectacles that became symbols of Roman decadence and cruelty. All in all, this is a wonderful movie, one that deservedly is a classic.
The part of the movie where Maximus reveals himself to the emperor is one of the greatest scenes in the history of Hollywood cinema. This is the scene that every director strives for, dreams about and rarely attains. Ridley Scott must have felt great to have put together such a stunning and evocative scene. The corrupt emperor and his erstwhile general, facing off, in front of the crowd, witnessed by the Senate, and the emperor's sister, indeed, by the entire world. Wow! Now THAT'S entertainment!