Historical? No. Epic? Sure.

Rating: 4/10 (13 May 2000)

Let's just get the negatives out of the way first. 1) This is not historically accurate. I could bore you all with the details, but I won't. Let's just say that the last fifteen minutes of the movie were purely fantasy, while the rest might be written off as a...dream-version of history. Ahem.
2) The music was awful. This is not Xena. Please don't subject my eardrums to the atonal wailings of some middle-eastern woman. It wasn't appropriate to have synthesizers when you've got someone like Basil Poledouris who could've scored this masterfully with *real* instruments!
Okay, onto the good stuff. I'll skip comments on acting and whatnot--it was good and bad, you decide. But I will say this: the political themes presented in the movie are entirely topical to 20th century America. Demagoguery hasn't ever been more rampant--listen to Gracchus, people. He knows of which he speaks:) Secondly, watch for the comments on the folks who ogle men about to kill each other, and about the idea of bloodsport in general. Then, look around yourself in the theater, and ask, "How many people are here just to see a man and tiger try to kill each other? Or to see the 'big battle scene' with all of its violence?" Then wonder where the comments are actually being directed: at the audience of the Colosseum, or of the Googolplex Cinema you're in.
Enjoy!