Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 310 Ratings

  • Starring: Connie Nielsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Russell Crowe
  • Summary: Before Maximus (Crowe), the heroic Roman General, can honor the wishes of his dying emperor Marcus Aurelius (Harris) by assuming the emperor's role, the emperor's cruel and corrupt son Commodus (Phoenix) orders the execution of Maximus and his family. Escaping death, Maximus assumes the life of an anonymous gladiator, fighting his way back to the Roman Colosseum where he seeks revenge and a return to justice for Rome. Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 37
  2. Negative: 1 out of 37
  1. It's a stunning Roman triumph.
  2. Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    80
    Quite a good movie--a big, fat, rousing, intelligent, daring, retro, many-adjective-requiring entertainment.
  3. 60
    Filled with brilliant filmmaking and features outstanding performances, but it's neither profound enough nor pop enough to be great -- it's mournful, serious, beautiful and, finally, pointless.
  4. Friends, Washingtonians, countrymen, I come not to praise Gladiator but to bury it.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 98
  2. Negative: 10 out of 98
  1. Gladiator is one of the best movies of all time. It's flawlessly directed and features some of the most memorable performances ever committed to film. The action is grisly but not gratuitous in any way. The fights on offer here are integral to the story. There is so much emotional gravitas in the final battle that it might well be the greatest end fight in movie history. Basically speaking, Gladiator is perfect. Expand
  2. This is a classic and an amazing movie that could have nearly managed a 9. The score/ soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in any movie, and the fast paced action scenes are intense and violent. The set and the storyline is brilliant and really well done. The movie is a bit overrated in some ways but never the less, this movie is one that you have to say you've seen. Expand
  3. 7
    One-half of the movie Gladiator is utter brilliant film-making; the other half is cliche Hollywood action-blockbuster. Good thing there was more of the brilliance than the cliches. Expand
  4. AshH.
    1
    Some people are calling this the best film of all time. W. T. F. This film's characters were absolutely terrible. The acting was decent, especially from Phoenix, but everything else about it was quite lacking. Watch it with the professional eye and you'll see that the editing is in fact, quite non-professional and sloppy. The writing was without a doubt the worst thing about it. I don't know what some people see in it, all they look for in movies are action, which this film delivers solidly along with the acting, but does not do so with anything else. Expand

See all 98 User Reviews

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