Gladiator UNEDITED REACTION (all access)

This was actually my first time watching this fully and I'm blown away. I don't think I've ever watched a more epic film and the score is incredible. Love your discussion on this as well...a very complex film on so many levels. Regarding if Commodus was insane...no, I think he is a product of neglect /never feeling worthy or loved...not by his father, his sister or the people. But yes, he had a choice so there is no excuse. However, I do think killing his father tipped him over the edge mentally. I see it as guilt rather than insanity. People who carry rage or refuse to forgive create a prison for themselves and the only way out is to let it go. Commodus couldn't face himself so he took that out on Maximus. When he fights Maximus at the end, he's really fighting himself. It's the same when he was hacking away at the statue of his father. He feels angry but deep down he doesn't hate his father. Commodus hates that he never felt loved by him and he wants to lash out externally. Killing his father didn't remove that feeling of inadequacy because regardless of external factors that self hatred starts from within you. That's the heart of the problem and that's why he progressively becomes unhinged with every rejection he faces. He's a very tragic character. Overall, a truly masterful film :)

Effie

I honestly think he deserved it for this movie

Very happy that you guys enjoyed Gladiator. Brilliant Movie, and you did extended edition which has some scenes better justifying character actions! Actually many considered Oscar for Crowe on this one apology for not giving him Oscar for Insider a year before. 1995 The Quick and The Dead was one of Crowe's big movies. But the cast was so good (Gene Hackman, young DiCaprio, Sharon Stone) that he was not a breakout there and film tanked a bit. If you dig westerns give it a go. It is now somewhat of an underrated classic and Sam Raimi directed it.

Sikozu

Oh dang…that sucks…I’m sorry

Wow, what the heck? I left a long as heck message about some of the history in this video and it just up and disappeared. That's disappointing...

Leah Kotlarchyk

This film is a beautiful masterpiece, to be sure. As far as historical authenticity though, it's a bit of a conundrum. It's both highly historically accurate to the spirit of the day and even gets small things right that are pretty good attention to detail. However, a whole lot is historically inaccurate. For example, all the members of the royal family were real people, though Maximus was completely fictional. However, Marcus Aurelius was not killed by Commodus and died of natural causes. Quite the contrary to the movie, not only did Marcus intend for Commodus to rule, but Commodus was actually ALREADY named joint ruler imperator several years before Marcus died. Ironically, this murder is the only place they exaggerated Commodus's nastiness and they probably under-exaggerated it everywhere else. The man was a true psychopath and the movie barely touched the tip of the iceberg of the atrocities he committed. Not only was he so hedonistic that he almost bankrupted the entire Roman Empire, he was incredibly bloodthirsty. He saw to the murder of political enemies and would kill in the gladiatorial arena for pleasure (often he would be fully armed while the gladiators would be given fake weapons at most). And while Lucilla never had Maximus to help her, she did try to assassinate Commodus at least once. He had her exiled and then later killed, along with her daughter (another daughter and her other son died young, before the time this movie would have taken place. She had a son by a second marriage who died after his mother was killed, but not at Commodus's hand). However, there was no evidence of any kind of sexual relationship between them. In fact, some sources seem to imply that Commodus generally preferred men. Also, Commodus often did fight in his own gladiatorial spectacles (which disgusted the Roman elite) but he did not die during one. Actually, he was eventually assassinated by his wrestling partner (kind of a coach/sparring partner), a man name Narcissus. There are a ton more inaccuracies and also many more accuracies (in spirit and in detail). There are just kind of the most notable ones that come to mind immediately. Roman history is fascinating.

Leah Kotlarchyk

Yes, the Romans bred a specific breed of dog for scouting and sometimes to operate in formations on the battlefield, with some dogs given spiked armour. It has some accuracy, but a lot has been changed for the story. Marcus Aurelius was emperor and a pretty damn good one and died aged 58 in 180CE (AD). He was co-emperor with Commodus his son for four years and he succeeded him. Commodus was considered to be a very tyrannical emperor compared to his father, but lasted 12 years. He left a lot of the rule to his chamberlain and chief praetorian guards/prefects. He was assassinated in 192CE by a conspiracy of prefects and a wrestler strangling him in the bath after he vomited up poison. There were something called the year of the five emperors after his death as various figures fought for the throne until things stabilised a bit under Septimius Severus.

Benny

As Linda mentioned , Oliver Reed’s passing affected the production with some unique problems. A dubbel was hired to finish remaining scenes still not filmed. A high quality CGI team made what we now know as a deepfake. and superimposed his face onto the dubbel in post production. It’s so well done you hardly notice . The extra 2 minutes of screen time added 3,2 million dollars to the production cost of this movie.

I love Hans Zimmer's score to this movie . His score makes the action scenes epic and the drama emotional . I love the music and the film . Also , i love that Russell Crowe's performance was recognized and awarded for this film . A great performance from a great movie.

jonathan Edge

Maximus' state was supposed to be in Spain, not in Italy... (That's why he's called 'Spaniard'; he and his family are meant to be from Spain). :)

H. Maurier

Great film enjoyed the re watch with all of you the late great Oliver Reed sadly passed away during the making of the film he played the gladiator trainer a much loved British actor and a true eccentric personality.

Linda Wightman