A grand movie that can only be considered as a "must see".

Rating: 8/10 (30 April 2000)

From the grand battle at the beginning to the final fight at the end, there are 2 1/2 hours of glamorous screenplay and some of the best acting to be seen this year. Russell Crowe as Maximus, Connie Nielson as Lucilla, Oliver Reed as Proximo, Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius, and a host of other supporting actors.
And the top actors are needed as this is a screenplay written by a team, and it lacks a unified vision. Small production errors, like Lucilla wearing a bra, detract from the authenticity. Will the audience care? When character arcs reverse without cause, will anyone notice? There is so much action, and even a weepy scene at the end, perhaps they will not care.
Well worth seeing for what is good, but not for people with faint hearts. This is an action movie, and the violence is sometimes overwhelming, and the cinematic style taken too far. But worthy of a viewing all the same.