A better film than I expected

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2001)

After reading some of the comments here and being generally leary about Hollywood blockbusters, I did not expect much from this film. I was pleasantly surprised.
If you can get by the preposterous premise of the film, you will find a literate script, good performances, and a movie that really moves along at a fast pace. It is the only Roman epic that I would willingly see again besides Spartacus. In fact, there is a lot in Gladiator that can be compared to the first half of Spartacus but Spartacus remains the superior film. I am glad that the producers of Gladiator chose to emulate Spartacus rather than The Fall of the Roman Empire(which was a terrible film) upon which the plot was based.
Some good things about the film include the lack of sex and foul language which would have restricted the viewing of this film. There is plenty of violence but it's in a comic book style and not too realistic. The use of Oliver Reed and Richard Harris was truly inspired and they contribute to the film in the way that Alec Guiness contributed to Star Wars. The overall quality of acting is very good. The special effects are fine and the scenes in the Colluseum are especially memorable.
It is not a great film, or even the best film of 2000, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it with enthusiasm.