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.Written by
Chris "Morphy" Terry
Russell Crowe later admitted that he initially felt unworthy of all the praise and the Oscar for Best Actor that he got for this movie. After seeing the completed movie, he felt it was a "director's film", and that the Oscar should have gone to director Ridley Scott instead. See more »
Goofs
During the fight with the tigers, Maximus falls and rolls over, revealing Lycra shorts. See more »
Quotes
Commodus:
Your Emperor asks for your loyalty, Maximus. Take my hand, I only offer it once.
See more »
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. See more »
Alternate Versions
There are a whole slew of unused shots and sequences compiled into a short film. Some of those sequences are:
A few new shots of Commodus riding to meet his father along with his entourage.
New footage of Maximus riding to flank the Germanians.
A whole Alternate Sequence of the Death of Maximus's Wife and Son. In this version we see him ride through many different scenes and he overlooks the farm seeing his son getting trampled by horses and his wife screaming. He screams and he reaches forward with his open hand. He pulls it back and there is blood. He cries out loud in pain over the death of his family.
New footage of the Arabs and the Gladiator Training Grounds.
Commodus not-so-warm reception in Rome. We see people graffiting his name on walls.
New footage of the first Gladiator Chain-Gang battle. We see an Alternate Take of Hagen impaling the man on a spike protruding from a wall. We also see that after the battle is over, a huge man wearing a mask walks out and kills the wounded.
Hagan in a bath accompained by exotic women.
Germanian Ground Battle footage of Maximus fighting of many Germanians!
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!
400 of 483 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
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!