Gladiator

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1:23

Gladiator

R

2000

2h 34m

History

Drama

Adventure

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

260 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) takes power and strips rank from Maximus (Russell Crowe), one of the favored generals of his predecessor and father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the great stoical philosopher. Maximus is then relegated to fighting to the death in the gladiator arenas.

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Critics Consensus

While not everyone will be entertained by Gladiator's glum revenge story, Russell Crowe thunderously wins the crowd with a star-making turn that provides Ridley Scott's opulent resurrection of Rome its bruised heart.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

The same sturdy conventionality that made Gladiator a hit means that it’s built to last without standing particularly tall. With apologies to Ridley Scott, it holds up fine without echoing into eternity.

Nov 21, 2024

Full Review

Stephen Hunter

Washington Post

It is an honorable movie, so are they all honorable movies. But that's not enough. It's not great. It's a disappointment. Caesar hates disappointment, so kill it swiftly and be done.

Nov 2, 2022

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Bill Muller

Arizona Republic

The new film has spectacular fight scenes in dazzling sets and a familiar story about honor and betrayal, courage and cowardice. It's the perfect vehicle for some old-fashioned sword-clanging fun.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 2, 2022

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

One of the slighter films to ever win the Best Picture Oscar.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 11, 2025

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Greg MacArthur

Screen Rant

As iconic as Ridley Scott's Gladiator is, a better film would exist beneath its legendary dialogue and battle scenes in the form of a sharper script.

Rated: 8/10

Nov 14, 2024

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Casey Chong

Casey's Movie Mania

The enduring success of Gladiator lies in many factors, one of which is Scott’s modern sensibility in his direction that appeals even to contemporary audiences.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 11, 2024

Full Review

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Matthew D

Ridley Scott enchants with his contemporary Spartacus. Gladiator is a classic film and likely the very best movie of the year 2000. Ridley Scott directs at his peak with historical epics like Kingdom of Heaven, American Gangster, and All the Money in the World. Gladiator is all class in a highly entertaining depiction of a gladiator's tough life. Admittedly, It is long, but the extended edition is worth the watch. The CGI has not aged well, Hans Zimmer's score is remarkably similar to his work for Pirates of the Caribbean. However, the entire film is a testimony to Scott's painstaking recreation of Rome, gladiator fights, war battles, and highly skilled drama. Gorgeous landscapes and environments scale alongside beautiful sets. The scenery is accompanied by bloodshed of the most engaging and thrilling type. Scott's style oozes off the screen. We get a fantastic story, nuanced acting, and a glorious finale. Gladiator deserves all its praise. Speaking of acting, Russell Crowe gives his career best in all possibility. Crowe's sorrow and righteous indignation is only comparable to his perfect performances in A Beautiful Mind or Master and Commander that follow Gladiator. Connie Nielsen lays down one of the most sympathetic roles ever captured on film. Joaquin Phoenix portrays one of the most heinous and reviled villains in cinema history. It is a creepy role that he absolutely sells. Action and excitement are everywhere alongside heartfelt drama. Gladiator will never be forgotten. It will stay with you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/25

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Michael G.

What a movie! Maximus is the ultimate protagonist. Violence, friendship, suffering, love, redemption; this movie has it all.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/12/25

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Michael V

It is shocking to me that this film has such a low rating on this website. This is an all-time great. The fact that it only has an 80% from the critics and an 89% from the audience shows that Rotten Tomatoes has lost the plot. It should have upper 90s numbers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/04/25

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Rasmus S

One of my all time favorites. Absolutely stunning film in every possible aspect. A must see for anyone who likes movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

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AJ J

It is a very good movie and it has a lot of story but it lacks a story

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/03/25

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Yollie S

A masterpiece. Ignore the try hard so called 'pro' critics who just want to be controversial. How it only gets 80% on RT is bewildering.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/25

Full Review

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Ridley Scott

Director

Russell Crowe

Maximus Decimus Meridius

Joaquin Phoenix

Commodus

Connie Nielsen

Lucilla

Oliver Reed

Proximo

Derek Jacobi

Gracchus

Gladiator: Official Clip - Maximus' Dying Wish

2:51

Gladiator: Official Clip - The Battle of Carthage

2:59

Gladiator: Official Clip - Busy Little Bee

1:55

Gladiator: Official Clip - Maximus vs. Tigris of Gaul

2:59

Gladiator: Official Clip - Commodus Murders His Father

2:49

Gladiator: Official Clip - The Battle Against Germania

3:00

Gladiator: Official Clip - Are You Not Entertained?

2:05

Gladiator: Official Clip - Maximus Kills Commodus

2:50

Gladiator: Official Clip - Maximus Kisses Lucilla

2:27

Gladiator: Official Clip - My Name is Maximus

2:42

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70%

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Gladiator: Best Scenes

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Gladiator: Trailer 1

1:23

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Synopsis

Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) takes power and strips rank from Maximus (Russell Crowe), one of the favored generals of his predecessor and father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the great stoical philosopher. Maximus is then relegated to fighting to the death in the gladiator arenas.

Director: Ridley Scott
Producer: David Franzoni, Branko Lustig, Douglas Wick
Screenwriter: David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson, David Franzoni
Distributor: Universal Pictures, DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: Scott Free Productions, Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Universal Pictures
Rating: R (Intense Graphic Combat)
Genre: History, Drama, Adventure, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 5, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $187.7M
Runtime: 2h 34m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, DTS, SDDS, Dolby EX, Surround, Dolby Digital, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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