Great Hollywood moviemaking

Rating: Null/10 (12 July 2000)

First of all, let me point out, that I loved this movie. It is a stunning visual masterpiece with a superb cast, great direction and awesome camera-work. But seen through the eyes of the archaeologist and re-enactor I am, the movie strangely disappointed me. There was so much effort and money put into this movie, visually it is a masterpiece and in so many details there is correctness (like using 8-shaped chains, or the glasses Commodus drinks out of), yet the equipment and battle scenes, while being deft and stunningly beautiful, lack realism. There were no ballistae shooting whaling-harpoon sized bolts and not even a single pilum even flew, the romans did not advance in formation and they hardly ever used cavalry. Commodus' reign did last much longer than only 60-some days, and while he was crude and over-the-top, he surely was not a whimp. Not even one classical form of a gladiator appeared. So, I'd give it a D+ for historical correctness and a straight a for cinematics -- a great movie, as long as you do not think of it as a history lesson (which are boring to most people anyway :)) Go and see it!