Russell has something to Crowe about....OWWWW!! Sorry...

Rating: Null/10 (6 May 2000)

This is really pretty good, a nice updated combo of 'Braveheart'(see the great opening battle scene), Ben-Hur, Spartacus, Samson and Delilah, Quo Vadis, etc(Coliseum/gladiator stuff) and Rob Roy. Maximus/Crowe is the same basic guy, big strong hero/general/fighter who winds up taking on the sadistic/twisted Fop at the end, sword on sword.
Spoiler alert!!!!!!!!
Somehow or other I was let down the the failure of the coup-I think that that would have brought the film to a somewhat more fitting end myself, and more satisfying. But Sod it-what they did do was pretty good in and of itself. No big problems here.
I felt the scenes showing Commodius and his sister were long and draggy in places, and to be honest, by about the 4th time they showed Commodius there making Googoo eyes at Dear Sister and prattling about how big a failure he'd felt in his fathers' eyes...I think we got the idea by then, thank you. Phoenix was pretty good as the fop and Neilson ditto as his sister, its just that their scenes fell flat at times.
I liked Derek Jacobi, didn't recognize Richard Harris(!!) as Marcus Aurelius-but enjoyed his scenes-and thought that this was a fitting fineale to Oliver Reed's career too. Go back the Wolfman, Three Musketeers, etc, and he's played similar parts...it is good Hollywood saw fit to haul him and Harris and Derek Jacobi into this for one more go around.
Crowe carries the film, I could have pictured a younger Mitchum or Bronson doing it but nec. any better. If you like action, spectacle, Ridley Scott in general or stuff like Braveheart-then this one is for you.
*** outta ****, involving, shows Rome as not film has before, well done.