Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
a sort of historically accurate movie that is still great. but blu ray is better
Amazon.com needs to seperate reviews. Blu ray reviews should NOT be lumped in with standard dvd releases. The blu ray version of this movie is far superior to the standard dvd version. Both in picture and sound quality. The movie itself features great performances from the whole cast inlcluding the late Oliver Reed who died in Italy right as this was being finished. The fictional story of the evil emporer Commodus and his betrayel of his top general is a interesting one. In real life Rome had just had a number of great emporers : Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian and then Marcus Aurelius who was Commodus's father. All of these men had fought on the frontiers and made the empire strong , they were excellent emporers and then came the degenerate partier Commodus. He fought in the gladitioral games and spent the empires money on his desires while the frontiers were being attacked. He was cruel and finally killed and that was a good thing for the world. But he was in charge for many years and not a few months like in this movie. Still the movie captures his evil nature very well as does the actor who protays him, and it presents a story about revenge. This is a good movie in spite of this historical misstep. After all they couldn't have the main character fight for ten years waiting for revenge. On blu ray this movie really comes alive and from this point on is the only way to watch it.