A must see - Period

Rating: 10/10 (3 June 2000)

I went into this film with somewhat low expectations. I don't consider myself a real fan of this genre. My first thought upon seeing the trailer was "Spartacus." After more research, I was concerned this might be a cheap Braveheart-esqe ripoff. I was wrong in both cases. This movie is in a category all to itself, and I loved every bit of it. I haven't experienced a film like this in quite some time ... Gotta go with a "Thumbs Up" in my book. I thought that Ridley Scott did a heckuva job keeping this film moving for the course of 3 hours. I also would say that Russell Crowe is quickly becoming one of the better actors in the business today. His presence on the screen carried several of the movies key scenes. I felt that the plot of the movie was easy to follow, almost cookie-cutter like in that respect, but there were enough turns and twists to keep me satisfied through the course of the film. The effects flat out rock, I was particularly impressed with the opening sequence. This is one that you want to go see again and again.