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Amazon.co.uk Review
Ridley Scott's glossy historical epic Gladiator revitalised the classic sword 'n' sandal genre, bringing both a modern pop-culture sensibility and state-of-the-art computer-generated special effects to what had seemed like a worn-out formula. Essentially a remake of Anthony Mann's stodgy 1964 Fall of the Roman Empire, Gladiator also borrows heavily from Saving Private Ryan in its stunning opening sequence, and employs Ridley's brother Tony Scott's rapid-fire editing style for the remarkably staged Colosseum fights. The overall effect is a hugely impressive but emotionally empty spectacle complemented by Hans Zimmer's bestselling but derivative score.
Synopsis
Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien) transports Hollywood to second-century Rome in this rousing historical epic that proudly harkens back to such films as Ben-Hur and Spartacus. Russell Crowe plays Maximus, a Roman general who leads the troops in conquering Germania for the empire. When an ageing Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) tells Maximus that he'd like him to rule Rome once he's gone, a classic confrontation ensues between the brave and charming soldier who wants to return home to his wife, son, and farm and the jealous and conniving Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the emperor's only son, who is thirsty for power. Bought as a slave by the profiteering Proximo (Oliver Reed, in his last role), Maximus must kill or be killed in the ring, battling to save not only himself but the future of the very empire that he loves and honours. The film features a terrific battle sequence (that recalls the beginning of Saving Private Ryan), huge crowd scenes of thousands of people, and even a little romance, albeit mostly taboo. The impeccably choreographed gladiator scenes are violent yet thrilling, flashing by like lightning. Gladiator is a glorious spectacle filled with heart and soul.
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139 of 146 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gladiator remastered: know your product,
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This review is from: Gladiator [Remastered] [Blu-ray][Region Free] (Blu-ray)
Unreserved five stars for PQ on the remastered edition (the AQ was always excellent).
Now what you really want to know: how can you be sure you're getting the new edition, and not the shoddy first release? As of 9 September, NBC Universal UK have confirmed three things: 1. They have started shipping the new edition to retailers, but it's up to retailers as to when they sell it. 2. The new edition has a "Pocket-Blu" logo on the back, comprising the pocket BLU symbol and the words "pocket BLU"; this is the sole distinguishing mark. If it's there, you have the new edition; if not, the old. 3. The combined Robin Hood/Gladiator release includes the new edition of Gladiator. Happy hunting! Matthew
182 of 212 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Such a dissapointing transfer for such a great film,
By
This review is from: Gladiator [Remastered] [Blu-ray][Region Free] (Blu-ray)
As the title suggests, this is a great film but has unfortunately been butchered on blu ray. The picture quality is absolutely dreadful, the studio has applied so much DNR (Digital Noise Reduction) to try to remove grain that they have actually removed a lot of detail in the picture itself! Crucially though, Ridley Scott filmed this with the intention of many of the battle scenes being very grainy (it makes them seem for more gritty and real) - so to remove it would surely go against his wishes!
In the opening battle scenes in Germania for example, about half of the flaming arrows fired by the Romans have been erased on the blu ray compared to the DVD. What's worse is that the ones that remain flicker in and out of existence in a really obvious manner. Likewise Roman soldiers have their spears erased or cut in half (I'm not joking - look up AVS Forums and you'll see screenshots of what I mean). But worst of all is that the studio seems to have actually added in some print damage that wasn't present on the DVD! In some scenes (only for a split second mind you) a strange blueish blob (admittedly very small) can flash up - what's up with that? The real kick in the teeth though is that all these problems only affect the theatrical portions of the film - all of the extended scenes have been left unmolested, and here the picture quality is fantastic. But it is very jarring when watching these scenes as you'll go from blurry to very sharp and then back again - again this is obvious to the "untrained eye" so to speak. Ultimately it is an absolute travesty that this film has been released in such a state. It reminds me of the first US release of the Fifth Element on blu ray which was so appalling that Sony was forced to release a better version within a year (the re-release was actually very good and is region free for those that are interested). The point remains, though, that we should not have to wait for a re-release to experience this film in a manner that blu ray is supposed to. Had the audio just been an issue then it wouldn't have mattered much, but to have the picture quality so heavily compromised that an upscaled DVD actually contains more detail is disgusting!
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blu Ray makes this look like a totally new film,
By
This review is from: Gladiator [Remastered] [Blu-ray][Region Free] (Blu-ray)
Gladiator is a classic film, and this Blu Ray release brings it to life like never been seen before. I own the DVD of the original and extended editions, and I was shocked at the quality of the image and sound that Blu Ray gives. Some of the scenes looked surprisingly different because of the extra clarity, and the difference is breathtaking. I particularly like that this product includes the extended edition of the film in full HD, and these extra scenes just fill in a few gaps that were present in the cinema release. I was originally sceptical about the improvement that Blu Ray could give over traditional DVDs, but after seeing Gladiator I am converted. Absolutely stunning.
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