The most unKubrickian Kubrick project......but it still delivers.

Rating: 10/10 (1 May 2005)

Spartacus follows the time of the rebel Spartacus' life starting with his life as a slave, then gladiator, then rebel, and finally leading up to his crucifixion. This film was directed by Stanley Kubrick, but if you're a hardcore Kubrick film like myself, you'll have a hard time believing it. Is it beautiful? Yes, the photography of the film is pretty top notch. Is the camera work Kubrick? To a certain degree. It's not full force Kubrick. I interpreted this as a laid back Kubrick style of filming. And the fact that he didn't write the screenplay had a lot to do with it I'm sure. Can I praise Kirk Douglas enough for his portrayal of Spartacus? I don't think so. Kirk gives one of the best performances of his career that I've seen. I still can't place his acting here above his acting in Paths of Glory though. Another great actor here is Jean Simmons, who is a hottie for real. She is absolutely beautiful. Another thing about the movie is that even though, it's over 3 hours long, I found the pacing very well done. I never found myself bored because the film has powerful dialog, which is another big plus.
10/10 Highly recommended.