An epic tale with great acting, a good script, and superb direction

Rating: 9/10 (27 April 2000)

From the opening battle scenes you get a feeling that this is not your average Hollywood blockbuster. This looks and feels like an epic in the true tradition of classics like Spartacus or Ben Hur.
This is the story of Maximus (Russell Crowe) a well-respected Roman general who leads from the front, and has a wicked way with a sword.
Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) wants Maximus to look after Rome instead of his power-hungry young son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) after his death.
But Commodus has other ideas....
This film may have cost around $100 million to make but it will undoubtedly double that at the box office.
The cast ooze charisma and ability, the sets will take your breath away, and the quick, and often chaotic, direction rarely lets up long enough for you to lose concentration for a second.
Perhaps the plot is a little on the unbelievable side, but this is Ancient Rome, a time of legends and heroes, it really does not detract from the film's enjoyment, especially as the script is not at all cliched.
The gladiator scenes are spectacular, and Russell Crowe's performance is incredible. He has so much presence that you can almost feel his energy emanating from the screen. This will surely rank him up there with the best actors in Hollywood.