Not in the league of "Spartacus", though well worth-seeing...

Rating: 6/10 (5 April 2007)

Russell Crowe won a Best Actor Oscar for his taut performance as Maximus, hailed general of battle in 180 A.D. Rome who soon becomes a fugitive and warrior-slave after the Emperor dies and his ambitious, wicked son (Joaquin Phoenix) takes command. Director Ridley Scott's sword-and-sandal, blood-and-guts spectacular isn't anything original, yet it certainly looks good and has many moments of power and emotion. Scott tries for the sweep of a latter-day "Spartacus", but the script isn't as intriguing and the film, while entertaining on the whole, isn't as memorable. Dedicated to actor Oliver Reed (Proximo), who makes his final film appearance, this Oscar winner for Best Picture has old-fashioned ideals transposed after the new-fangled violence, with lots of bloody action to snare modern moviegoers; it works successfully enough, and Scott efficiently uses the long running-time to build character and dramatic tension. **1/2 from ****