Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
The Glory of Rome
Gladiator is a worthy successor to the great sword and sandal films of the past. With a classic story, great acting, spectacular cinematography, and an incredible score, Gladiator is a true epic in every sense of the word. Russel Crowe's and Joaquin Phoenix' performances are exceptional, and you find yourself despising Commodus(Phoenix) and actually cheering for Maximus(Crowe).It is hard to watch the film and not be moved by the story, which at some points can drag, but is more than made up for by stunning batte and single combat scenes. The larger political story gives flesh to the main arc of the film--vengance. The film is fairly accurrate in its portrayal of the Roman gladiators, and the characters of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus are based on real emperors.The DVD version which I am specifically writing about is excellent. The chapter segmentations are done very well and you are able to skip to every major scene without any fast forwarding. The bonus CD has many nice features, including all the trailers, cut footage, and a history of the gladiator games.All in all, this is the best movie of the year, and if you are going to buy it, I highly suggest the DVD version, and if you don't have a DVD player, buy one to see this film...truly an instant classic.