After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
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- Patrick D.7d agoI'm on a Roman Empire kick and decided to rewatch this. I haven't seen it in years. I decided to up my rating from 4-1/2 stars to 5 stars. This really is a perfect film in a figurative sense. It's brutal, beautiful, and satisfying. It plays out the Roman politics exactly how you'd imagine it reading books on the topic. Russell Crowe is at the top of his game in this. Joaquin Phoenix is perfect as the dangerous, unprincipled tyrant. The highs and lows are perfect. The sets are great. The fights are great. The pacing is great. The payoff is great. It's just greatness through and through. If I'm going to nitpick the film, I think the score is generic and forgettable. It has its moments, but it could've used that one song to brand the movie with its identity.
- VarunDecember 5, 2024I really liked Ridley Scott’s depiction of Rome here, it looks grand but also isn’t just overdone with sleek splendour, it’s got a grungy look to it too which adds more realism and also represents the wide gap between class divisions. Joaquin Phoenix clearly steals the show, Commodus’ maniacal demeanour keeps the audience as well as every other character on edge. Marcus Aurelius was also portrayed well in the short time on screen, with a wise and stoic aura that inspires Maximus’ loyalty. The pacing and plot was great. The melodrama is solid, every line and interaction is filled with emotion and entertaining to watch. I wasn’t a fan of some of the slow motion and choppy cuts during the action scenes, but the fights were still decent. The hypnotic sequences were a nice touch. The scheming behind the scenes with Lucilla and the senators is also interesting. There’s some nice lightheartedness with Maximus’ new buddies which adds more depth to his character as he isn’t just relegated to being a depressed grumpy grunt. Every character serves an important role and this movie managed to bring multiple elements together to tell a cohesive and decent historical fiction story, but I don’t think it’s one of those epic must-watches that a lot of people tout it to be.
- Ray HopkinJanuary 8, 2025We will meet again. Just not yet. Not yet. This is such a mind blowing masterpiece. From the cast, to the direction, the score, everything really comes together so strongly. The fight scenes still haven't really been beaten, and the story has perfect emotional beats that keep you on the edge of your seat. Love this movie.
- B & ESeptember 9, 2026"I will see you again. But not yet.. not yet..." 9.9 / 10
- Howling Mad MurdockSeptember 7, 2026Gladiator is a good reminder of how satisfying a big historical epic can be when the characters give you a reason to care. The battles deliver, but the conflict between Maximus and Commodus is what holds everything together. Russell Crowe gives Maximus real presence, and Joaquin Phoenix makes Commodus deeply unpleasant without making him boring. The music adds so much to the atmosphere. A strong, entertaining film with an emotional payoff that works.
- macaronzAugust 25, 2026An Eternal Epic That No Sequel Can Ever Replicate Gladiator remains one of my all-time favorite films, and I still vividly remember the awe-inspiring experience of watching it on the big screen. Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix delivered such mind-blowing performances that make this film endlessly rewatchable. Hearing about the recent sequel, it’s disappointing to see how Hollywood resorts to cynical cash grabs that fail to capture the original's magic. True cinematic gold like this can never be truly replicated or justified by a sequel.
- Kevin LaTourJune 10, 2026One of the greatest films of all time ! A true master piece ! Story, Directing, Acting, Cast, Cinematography, simply flawless. At the very least should be a top 5.
- Eldon McGuinnessMarch 10, 2025Whether you are a history buff or an action junky, this movie is sure to please. The cinematic views put you in the fields and in the middle of the Romain empire in the time of Marcus Aurelius. The fighting scenes have more action that you can shake a gladius at! I will warn you, that some of the scenes can be a bit intense, but overall, they do a great job of trying to balance the need for realism with the tolerance of a wide audience. The story itself is one that grabs you from the beginning and just refuses to let go, right up to the very end. The drama, both family and political is so rich and thick, full of crosses and double-crosses, it really is a masterclass in plot writing.
- CubaneJune 9, 2026There was a dream that was Rome. It shall be realized.... That is, until the sequel, in which literally none of it was realized.
- mohammedabdullah67May 18, 2026One of the best action film of all time.
- Sean McConnellApril 16, 2026Joaquin Phoenix... Commodus (Villain)
- Phill RockNovember 28, 2025Russell Crowe is a force in this movie, shadowed only by the power of Joaquin Phoenix's villain
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Gladiator was released on May 4, 2000.
Gladiator was directed by Ridley Scott.
Gladiator has a runtime of 2h 34m.
Gladiator was produced by David Franzoni, Branko Lustig, Douglas Wick.
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his devious son takes power and demotes Maximus, one of Rome's most capable generals who Marcus preferred. Eventually, Maximus is forced to become a gladiator and battle to the death against other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
The key characters in Gladiator are Maximus (Russell Crowe), Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), Lucilla (Connie Nielsen).
Gladiator is rated R.
Gladiator is an Action, Adventure, Drama film.
Gladiator has an audience rating of 8.7 out of 10.
Gladiator had a budget of $103M.
Gladiator has made $465.5M at the box office.