Gladiator (2000)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers (WGA):

David Franzoni (story)
David Franzoni (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

Father of a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife and I shall have my vengeance in this life or the next

Plot:

When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Gladiator | Emperor | General | Death | Revenge

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 45 wins & 79 nominations

Cast

Russell Crowe	...	Maximus
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Commodus
Connie Nielsen	...	Lucilla
Oliver Reed	...	Proximo
Richard Harris	...	Marcus Aurelius
Derek Jacobi	...	Gracchus
Djimon Hounsou	...	Juba
David Schofield	...	Falco
John Shrapnel	...	Gaius
Tomas Arana	...	Quintus
Ralf Moeller	...	Hagen
Spencer Treat Clark	...	Lucius
David Hemmings	...	Cassius
Tommy Flanagan	...	Cicero
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Tiger

Also Known As:

The Gladiators (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for intense, graphic combat.

Runtime:

155 min | 171 min (extended version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #37084) | Malaysia:18SG | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | Brazil:14 | Taiwan:R-12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Israel:PG | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The real-life Commodus was in fact the only Roman Emperor in history to fight as a gladiator in the arena. However, he did it several times, not just once. Also, he was not killed in the arena but was strangled in his dressing room by an athlete named Narcissus.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Roman army tactics of the time relied heavily on close-order formations and high levels of discipline among the troops. Roman soldiers would first throw their heavy pila, to weigh down the shields and thin the ranks of the opposition, then either advance in a wedge formation or wait in a tight shield-wall to receive the charge. The Germanic tribes were feared individual warriors, while the conscripted Roman army's strength was in its discipline. A Roman army breaking into a disorganized charge, as shown in the movie, would most likely be massacred.

Quotes:

Commodus: [to Falco] Lucius will stay with me now. And if his mother so much as looks at me in a manner that displeases me, he will die. If she decides to be noble and takes her own life, he will die.
[to Lucilla]
Commodus: And as for you, you will love me as I loved you. You will provide me with an heir of pure blood, so that Commodus and his progeny will rule for a thousand years. Am I not merciful?
[Lucilla turns her head]
Commodus: AM I NOT MERCIFUL?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Da Ali G Show: Rekognize (#2.2)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Etruria

Best of 2000

Very rarely a film meshes together as finely as Gladiator. Its vivid action, superb writing, breathtaking acting, moving cinematography, and flawless score all amalgamate into a zenith of film making.

Russell Crowe, severely underrated after his brilliant roles in LA Confidential and The Insider, justifies his position in the elite of Hollywood in this film. The calibre of his performance is stunning. Along with an excellent supporting cast, Crowe truly transfers the intense emotions of this flick to the audience.

Gladiator is a must see. It is a cliche to call a movie "powerful", but Gladiator's power is unavoidable. 10/10