 "Get Gladiator" | 2009-10-07 |
| - Reviewed By User: A218DE0ANBL67Z |
| First off yes the picture in gladiator is kinda off being that its a blu ray, but besides that is not too horrible, i don't know what they where thinking when they remastered this movie but they definitely could of done a better job. Beside the weak video transfer this movie is still one of the best, the sound transfer was way better than the video. Go get this one if you own it on dvd, its still better than its original standard release |
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 "Blu-ray edition of gladiator" | 2009-10-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1R579NK9O3WG |
| Don't let all the bad reviews make up your mind for you. Watch it and make your own decision. I was hesitant to get this on blu-ray because of the negative reviews for it. I don't see what every one is talking about. This looks very good on blu-ray the picture quality is awesome .(after you get past the title sequence) |
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| "An impressive upgrade to the SD & still a "stand out" film" | 2009-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By digitalbabe |
This review is for the UK Steelbook release (same transfer as US version). I viewed it on a 42" Panasonic Plasma and BD35 Panasonic player.
I am a huge, long-time fan of this film, and like many, was looking forward to the Blu-Ray release. Although I had read some preview reviews, I am very impressed with this Blu-Ray. I do not own the UK Superbit, which I am told is a better overall transfer, but in comparison to the standard definition version, which I did own, this film is an obvious upgrade. I own 390+ Blu-Rays and this is one of the sharpest and color rich transfers I have seen so far. I think the anticipation of fans, put an extreme expectation on perfection for this transfer, as did the studio's touting of the "superior" nature of the "Sapphire" series. And yes, I have seen several "reference-quality" BD's, like the UK Zulu which remains the best PQ I have ever seen, along with discs such as I Robot.
There are some problems with this disc, due to over-digitization. But those scenes were few and far between, for me, and the detail, starting from the opening battle scene, down to those where Maximus is walking through the fields, and daylight shots, the clarity and detail on this disc is amazing. The DTS sound also does not disappoint, as it did not in the SD version. It is also possible that some with an LCD screen, or other brighter settings will see more of the digitization, but in Cinema Mode (my setting of choice), on a Plasma, the theater experience was replicated with true representation at home, for me. The film remains one of my favorite films of all time, and it continues to be towards the top of my list for Drama films. The cast is at its best, and Ridley and all creative talent involved deserve every accolade bestowed upon this film.
Regardless of what you hear from threads and reviews, give this disc a chance, at least as a rental. Whether a superior transfer is released later on, or not, this film has never looked as good, to me, as it does in this Blu-Ray edition. PQ 4.5/5, AQ 5/5. |
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| "Did you hear about the Happy Roman????? Gladiator" | 2009-10-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2UYESWHWMY6V3 |
| Wow what a great Ben-Hur (minus the Christian theme) faux type film. Crowe makes this film a real triumph and the action-fighting scenes are great but is it me or were the Gladiator fights filmed too fast as in they were over before they began. Loved the Hans film score and the computer look of Rome was great. Now, its time to unleash Hell or simply Gladiator 2- The Sequel.. |
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 "Compare the Facts with this Fiction: History had a MUCH better script..." | 2009-08-12 |
| - Reviewed By abarral4 |
This movie is a great action movie of the toga-sandal genre, it is NOT a historical movie, though it is set in Ancient Rome.The true history of Commodus is much more exciting, imaginative and colorful than the trite story line we are given in this film.
Here are the most important facts on which the movie differs from history:
1-Commodus was never disowned by his father, on the contrary from a very young age Marcus Aurelius wanted him to be his heir and gave him all the necessary titles and honors to go along with the job. All evidence points to exactly the opposite, he loved his son too much rather than too little. It is hard to believe such an intelligent man picked such a poor successor since at 19, which was his age at his father's death, (and roughly our equivalent of 30) Commodus must have demonstrated his character faults plenty of times. He was co-ruler with his father from 176 onwards and his father died in 180. He did not have to kill him to become the ruler as he already was.
2-Commodus had a sister Lucilla, ( he also had several others, none of which appear in the film) who had been married to Lucius Verus, co-ruler with his father, when he started his reign, and therefore had the title since then of 'Augusta'. She conspired against him in 182, according to the sources the cause was friction with the Empress Crispina, Commodus' wife. This was just two years after he became sole emperor, with two of her lovers, Marcus Ummidius Quadratus (the consul of 167, who was also her first cousin) and Appius Claudius Quintianus, both were executed, she was exiled to Capri and then conveniently murdered. She was married at the time but her husband was not implicated in the conspiracy.This is a much better script than the movie's and I can not comprehend why it was not used instead of the convoluted absurd scenario that was concocted.
Furthermore this Lucilla looks like she just graduated from Vassar. When will American audiences comprehend that the Romans were overwhelmely dark-haired and that only the Barbarians at that time were fair?? Such a persistent racist perspective, which is present since the beginning of Hollywood by British actors playing the roles of Romans, is really incomprehensible today, particularly in the case of Lucilla's child that looks ready for kindergarten in Switzerland or the senators we see, all of which could be having a drink at the Harvard Club and none of which could have possibly been a Roman aristocrat.
3-Commodus did fight both animals and gladiators in public, however he did not die in the arena, but was strangled by his professional trainer, the wrestler Narcissus, who conspired with Commodus mistress, Marcia to get into his bedroom and strangle him after Marcia had made Commodus drunk. There are discrepancies in the sources as to whether it happened in the bathroom or the bed, either one of which would have been better than the silly circus fight that we knew before he started it he was going to 'lose'.
4-Maximus as a character did not exist at that period, it is a complete fabrication with a little bit of Spartacus, Richard Burton's Anthony and a lot of Steve Reeve's Hercules thrown in a blender.
5-The emperor Commodus was heavily muscled and bearded and considered a model of male beauty at that time. Numerous statues show him in Hercules' regalia. Joaquin Phoenix is terribly miscast in the role, he looks like a Roman bureaucrat, at best, and at worst like just a jackass. His costumes are particularly wrong, much more suited for the Opera stage of Venice during the 18th Century. His makeup would have been great in a silent film and is strangely out of place here, verging on the comical.
6-The depiction of the gladiators, like all American productions relating to this period of history completely and purposefully distorts the facts of their daily life and exercise by censoring, hiding and refusing to allocate nudity and the strong presence of sexuality, both heterosexual and homoerotic that was part of that world. When will we see that our present day ideas on the topic had NOTHING to do with the way these people lived?? What we see here is a varsity team that can kill in the field, not the super stars of the Roman arena that had huge fame and wealth along with all the perks that came with their violent, brutal profession.
All of the above taken into consideration, the movie is an entertaining, fast-action fantasy that has escapist value. Russell Crowe never looked better and he does do an extremely convincing characterization of a provincial, country-loving, old fashioned virtuous and somewhat brutish Roman general of the type the Romans themselves always liked to praise with great respect. |
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| "A must in your collection!" | 2009-08-12 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1UBKUYBXQZ5GF |
| This is an awesome movie and the DVDs (along with the bonus DVD)are of very high picture quality. |
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