a pleasant romp through ancient rome.

Rating: 9/10 (25 May 2000)

I have waited for about a year to see this and was not disappointed. The direction,effects and action sequences were at time mind blowing.Russell Crowe plays the lead with refreshing understatement and reminded me of Richard Burton at his very best.The story is very very loosely based on the last days of the Roman Empire but allowing for some poetic license we were transported to a time when life was cheap and the contentment of the mob was paramount.The film even had moments of humour especially from Commodus the errant son of the Marcus Aurelius but it was his evil which was superbly portrayed by Joachin Phoenix.This probably wont win the best film at next years oscars, due to it not being about life in modern America but i doubt i'll see a better film this year.