Gladiator (2000)

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nelson, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou

More info: IMDB

Tagline: A general who became a slave. A slave who became a gladiator. A gladiator who defied an emperor.

Plot: Upon the sudden death of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, his trusted and successful general Maximus Meridas is presumed executed by Marcus' twisted son Commodus. He survives but his family is slaughtered and he his is enslaved and forced into the role of gladiator. As the new emperor, Commodus fears Maximus could use his heroic stature to depose him and become leader himself. But Maximus gains fame as a gladiator and uses his celebrity to cause further damage to Commodus' tenuous hold on the susceptible Roman people, hoping to inspire them to rediscover their lost values and overcome the corruption that is eating away at them. These actions prompt Commodus to square off mano a mano with Maximus in the Colosseum with the fate of Rome at stake.

My rating: 10/10

Will I watch it again? Duh.

I love the Sword & Sandal genre but, like any genre, there are so many mediocre to bad films that, when one comes along and kicks all kinds of ass like this one, it's like a breath of fresh air. I don't have an issue with a single piece of it. If you don't want Hans Zimmer's score ruined for you, don't listen to his earlier work because you'll hear bits and pieces from GLADIATOR in much of it. Sigh. Everyone kicks acting and action ass. The first time I saw it, in the theater, I was annoyed by Phoenix but that got much better on multiple viewings.

The extended cut is the one to watch and the NEW Blu-ray, not the one that came out in 2009, has been re-mastered and looks jaw-dropping amazing! WOW! What an improvement. As far as I see it, GLADIATOR is flawless.