Laughable...

Rating: Null/10 (8 May 2000)

No, not the film, but the few of you out there that actually decided to pay money to go and pick this movie apart, then whine about the silliest thing on some website. Suggestion? First, find a life, then start to go to the theater and realize you are watching a movie, not a metaphor for life. There are so many ludicrous comments here, I have to get a 10 lb bag of salt so I can take them a grain at a time.
Why do we insist on comparing every movie made to every other movie ever made? Why is it necessary to say this movie is like 'Braveheart' or '13th Warrior' or 'Ben-Hur' or 'Sparticus' etc, etc, etc.... This movie is just like one movie I have ever seen: 'Gladiator.' It is huge in scale, plenty of great action, wonderful actors, very followable storyline-wise. You see the grandeur of the Roman Coloseum and then complain because Maximus wasn't a real person? If you want reality, save your money and watch the History Channel for free. See this movie for what it is.
So the movie is 2 and a half hours. Pay $8 and see a 90 minute movie and then pay the same price for a 150 minute movie. I say you got a bargain. I was entertained from minute one to minute 150. Anyone who says "the action was great, but the dialogue was lacking...." you obviously went to see the movie *just* for the action. Too many Commodous whining scenes? Reinforcement. You hated him didn't you? Desired effect achieved. Crowe was brooding and dark? Wouldn't you be if you desired nothing but revenge on your family's murderer? Mysteriously gained a sense of humor mid-way through the movie? The closer he got to his goal, the more at-one he felt with his desired fate. One person here actually said "Phoenix tries to play crazy, but ends up coming off as bitter." *imagine yelling:* His father gave an entire empire to someone other than him. *imagine all-out screaming:* Wouldn't you be bitter too?
I digress....See this film. If you have half a brain, you'll like it. If you insist on following the exact healing time of a scrubbed-off tattoo and feel the need to post here that the production quality lacked because you left the theater disappointed because you didn't see the stages of scabbing/scarring in its biological context, blah blah blah....stay the hell home and flip on the tube.