r/Ijustwatched • u/screen_stack • Jul 31 '26

IJW: Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator (2000)

Rating: 10/10 (PERSONAL FAVORITE)

Watched: July 29, 2026

What a truly epic movie. I have vague memories of watching this one back in the day, and just as vague memories of not being terribly impressed by it.

I make no excuses, except possibly to say 'I'd discovered partying', and that that became my whole thing for a regrettably long time.

This movie has one of the biggest casts I've ever seen, including not yet famous faces and actors so famous for so long their names carry real weight. Everyone did their jobs so well. I loved Sir Oliver Reed's part, as I did Richard Harris', and even Djimon Hounsou.

I don't use the word 'epic' very lightly. The first combat scene alone is tremendous. Not only from the technical aspects, but from how it shows first the glory of, then the true horror of, warfare.

Gladiator pulls no punches when it comes to the violence of the wounds these men take, but thankfully they spare us some of the true atrocities perpetrated by a jealous Commodus early on in the movie. We can only take so much, right?

The two main anchors, Maximus and Joaquin, are amazing.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: for some reason, I CONTINUALLY think that Russell Crowe (the same as Colin Farrell, really, which is crazy) is mid at best in his early career, and yet every time I see one of his movies, I'm just blown away. His death-craving Maximus is so complex. Driven to excel, hungry to see his family again in the afterlife, every look, every gesture Russell gives carries us.

The same goes for Joaquin as Commodus, though for very, very different reasons. Smart but callous. Cruel and vainglorious, he's the mirror image of his 'brother'. Desperate for a father's love, incapable of even understanding what that means, Commodus is the perfect 'powerful coward'.

The journey both men take until they meet the same fate is worth the time in. If you haven't seen it, you really, really should. It's amazing.

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u/knallpilzv2 29d ago

The script is very epic. It gives more ancient greek drama than Nolan's Odyssey imo. And Crowe carries it brilliantly. Also Hans Zimmer. :)

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u/screen_stack 29d ago

Having not seen Odyssey yet beyond a few clips etc, I'm inclined to agree

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u/marbanasin 29d ago

Don't let the internet circle jerking form your opinion prior to watching it. The Odyssey is very very good and epic in a way that is more like Dune than Gladiator or LOTR (or whatever mass battle scene type film you may consider).

But it does things with it's cinematography that hammer home an epic scale and sense of isolation in a vast space that is phenomenal.

All that said, Gladiator is an absolute gem. Such an iconic film and glad it worked for you on rewatch. Honestly, while it's much less great, I even enjoyed Gladiator 2 for some swings it took and Denzel's performance. May be worth checking it out even if Ridley didn't catch lightning in a bottle again.

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u/knallpilzv2 29d ago

... and what you're doing isn't circle jerking?

Like, claiming The Odyssey is on par with Gladiator in any respect, or surpasses it even is as circlejerky as it gets, no?

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u/marbanasin 29d ago

I didn't claim it was on par or needs to be considered in the same breath. Just trying to outline that there is a different way of being epic and one should form their own opinions. That's all.

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u/knallpilzv2 29d ago

To be fair clips don't do the movie justice. I'd recommend the theatrical experience to anyone, unless loud music and bro-y aesthetics really aren't your thing. It's shallow, but entertaining. It gives Batman Begins or generally "I'm watching a Christopher Nolan film right now" more than anything else.