Gladiator (2000)

A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers:

David Franzoni (story), David Franzoni (screenplay)

Stars:

Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen

Top Rated Movies #43 | Won 5 Oscars. Another 54 wins & 104 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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	...	Tigris

Storyline

Maximus is a powerful Roman general, loved by the people and the aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, and a power struggle leaves Maximus and his family condemned to death. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the Gladiator games until he dies. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge.

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Plot Keywords:

gladiator | roman empire | slavery | combat | battlefield | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for intense, graphic combat

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA UK Malta Morocco

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gladiators

Filming Locations:

Morocco

Box Office

Budget:

$103,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$34,819,017, 7 May 2000

Gross USA:

$187,705,427

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$460,583,960

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Scott Free Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

155 min 171 min (Extended Edition)

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS (Digital DTS Sound) Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Only the second DVD to sport a 6.1 DTS sound mix.

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Goofs

When Maximus returns home, the tracks in the wheat field could not have been made by a horse-drawn carriage or trailer. If the vehicle was horse drawn the animal would have left a track between the wheel tracks

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Quotes

[Inspecting the gladiators through the bars, Lucius notices Maximus and motions him closer. Amused, Maximus complies]
Lucius Verus: Gladiator, are you the one they call the Spaniard?
Maximus: Yes.
Lucius Verus: They said you were a giant. They said you could crush a man's skull with one hand.
Maximus: [looks at his palm] A man's? No. A boy's...
[Lucius smiles, and points to the art on Maximus' armor]
Lucius Verus: They have good horses in Spain?
Maximus: Some of the best.
[points]
Maximus: This is Argento, and this is Scarto. They were my horses. They were taken from me.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Both the Dreamworks & Universal logos are altered to appear gold in color so they match the opening theme of Maximus walking through a wheatfield.

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Alternate Versions

A 171-minute extended version incorporating formerly deleted scenes has been created specifically for DVD release.

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Connections

Referenced in Love's Kitchen (2011)

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Soundtracks

Etruria
Written by Walter Maioli and Nathalie Van Ravenstein (as Natalia Van Ravenstein)
Performed by Synaulia
Courtesy of Amiata Media Srl.

User Reviews

Breathtaking!

Once again, Director Ridley Scott proves to be as professional as one can be. The recreation of ancient Rome is splendid, with all its magnificent buildings and atmosphere and he is able to show with all brightness the greatness of the Roman Empire, with its political problems and military discipline, and love and treason, of hate and jealousy, that still have a place in our world today. But the story has a glow of its own, to which all the beautiful scenery (believe me, it's awesome!!!) and great cinematography are just balancing factors. The plot is a rich one, that is as dynamic as it is present. He once again, after Blade Runner, 1492, and others helps us visit the depths of the human soul, which remains the same over all our historical and social experience. Even the fights, are displayed in such a way that all the blood is quite discrete, but still, making us feel like screaming and jumping out of our seats. I would also like to point out the performances of the cast, that is surprisingly good. We have some actors and actresses, who are not Hollywood icons, but are are greatly able to move the audience among screams and tears. All in all, we have guys like Russel Crowe, who are coming out to be part of a new and extremely promising harvest of people who are making each time more fans around the world. Well, you should see for yourself!