Great fun

Rating: 8/10 (23 December 2003)

This is surely one of the best blockbusters of recent years. Russell Crowe was made for the role of Maximus the great general and the son that Marcus Aurelius never had. There's evidence that the characters that Crowe plays best are not dissimilar to the man in real life. In this Maximus is full of hate and longs for revenge on the new Caesar.
Crowe is well supported by the rest of the cast which includes Oliver Reed's final performance. Perhaps the other thing that this will be best remembered for is the reconstruction of Rome in all it's Glory. The final speech by Lucilla is a bit over the top, but that aside this is modern filmmaking at its best.