Overblown! As Shakespeare wrote -"Much ado about nothing!"

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2001)

This movie was really quite silly. Blurry photography, and oh so obvious special effects (I think they should have asked for some of their money back, you could see the computer enhanced crowds, buildings etc. but maybe this matched the movie as everything was so damn obvious and excessive and fake). I liked Commodius (or whatever his name was) thought the Phoenix one played his role well, you could say he "rose above" the others. Russell Crowe was talking in a lower register (what this is supposed to be sexy?) and mumbling. Blood and guts and about as much feeling and emotion as a dead log. This really is Hollywood Big Budget gone mad. Give me good storyline and small budget any day. Just colour and movement. Much ado about nothin'. It seems a case of "The Emperor's New Clothes" the old children's fairy tale where cunning tailors fool the pompous Emperor that he is actually clothed in fine garments they have "made" when he is really naked. It takes a couple of children to laugh and "expose" the truth when the Emperor parades in his "birthday suit" Same thing here. Everyone is saying it's huge and fabulous so it must be true. It ain't. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a good movie. Hollywood quit the overblown effects and get back to the basics. A rivetting good story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Solid and honest acting, true to the character, with actors daring to put themselves on the line, and "real" settings - not computerland fakes! Gladiator Smadiator - there's something rotten with this Rome - and it sure as hell stinks!