A hero will rise... and a movie will rock.

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2000)

I can't remember the last time I walked out of a theater so satisfied with a film I'd wanted to see so badly. My expectations were raised repeatedly, as the first and second trailers plus the glowing recommendations of friends who'd seen it equaled the possibility of a huge disappointment.
Thankfully, the work of Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe and others did not let this moviegoer down. While the plot was good and well done, Gladiator's strength lies in its great battle sequences. You want blood? You got it. You want guts? You got it. These battles are some of the best I've ever seen on film.
A certain MTV Movie Awards winner for Best Fight Sequence... the hard part will be deciding which battle to pick.
While the battle sequences will be the number one topic of discussion as you're walking out of the theater, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the great performances from the main actors. I doubt Crowe has ever been better, there's a good chance you'll be chanting his name along with the crowd during the Coliseum scenes. Probably not Oscar-worthy, but you never know... Joaquin Phoenix deserves some recognition as well, he makes a good villain. From the moment he arrives on screen, the audience immediately hates his guts. By the time that these two finally meet, you'll want to see Phoenix get what's coming to him quite badly.
A great movie, the best I've seen this year (so far), and a certain DVD purchase in the winter. But don't wait... see this one on the big screen. It's well worth the price.