Bloody But Beautiful

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2000)

"Gladiator" exceeded my wildest expectations, and my expectations were very very high. Ridley Scott's career has been a little inconsistent, but when this guy's on-target, the results are impressive to behold. Witness "Alien". Witness "Blade Runner". Now witness "Gladiator". A simple story, beautifully told. Unforgettable scenes of gladitorial combat. Eye-popping visualizations of ancient Rome. Russell Crowe makes a great hero, Jaoquin Phoenix a terrific villain. The whole cast is superb. "Spartacus" ain't got nothing on "Gladiator" I can't wait to see it again...