Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
I'm a bloody Spaniard!
A 5 Star "sword and sandal" summertime blockbuster fantasy/action flick and classic morality tale.Thinking of what throwaway title to use for the review I recalled the South Park crew's mockery of Crowe's accent in the film. But who knows or for that matter cares what a Spaniard sounded like a couple thousand years ago? Surely not like Crowe, but the Romans didn't speak English or look too much like many of the actors portraying them in Hollywood films! And who cares about actual history? Nobody watching "Gladiator". Except for the "realistic fight scenes!" and new digital depiction of Rome and it's Coliseum of death we aren't too concerned. Marcus Aurelius was a real Emperor, last of the so-called "Five Good Emperors", and a great stoic philosopher, but events depicted in the film are loosely based in fact or fabricated.However, I can appreciate "Gladiator" as a well-crafted morality tale of honor, loyalty, and betrayal with some cool fights. Director Ridley Scott has brought to us some of the most gorgeous films of the last 30+ years.