The best movie of 2000.

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2003)

This was definitely the best movie of 2000. It was everything you could possibly want from an epic adventure!
The story is about a man, General Maximus (Russel Crowe) who has been betrayed by the new Emperor, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), whose family was killed and turned from a General of the Roman Empire to a Gladiator; and now seeks for revenge.
The plot is outstanding, it is very well written, and it has a lot of historical background. Even though is not 100% accurate, it is excellent. The performances were good as well, Russel Crowe did deserve the Oscar for this movie, he made us be on the brink of our seat the whole movie. Joaquin Phoenix was equally good as Commodus, his performance is so convincing that you actually end up hating him. All the rest of the cast were equally good, most of all Richard Harris and Oliver Reed.
The music of this movie is possibly one of the most important parts of it, it is perfect in every single situation. The special effects were outstanding, we get to see the glory of Rome back in those days.
This movie is a must see, however; if you are looking for a movie based 100% in history facts, watch the History Channel instead. If you want to have a great time, watch this movie. ***** out of *****