Product Description

Director Ridley Scott’s triumphant Gladiator is an unparalleled combination of vivid action and extraordinary storytelling that earned five Oscars® including Best Picture. The Blu-ray presentation will include both the original theatrical version of the film as well as the extended version in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Korean subtitles. The two-disc set also will feature over four hours of bonus material.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33 in DVD
• Brand: CROWE,RUSSELL
• Released on: 2009-09-01
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish, Korean
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 171 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
A big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a rousing, grisly, action-packed epic that takes moviemaking back to the Roman Empire via computer-generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, Titanic, it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer-generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. Gladiator's plot is a whirlwind of faux-Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux-Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings appropriately "classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind--believe it or not--Saving Private Ryan, even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and gravitas as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall--he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! --Mark Englehart

Amazon.com


Stills from Gladiator (Click for larger image)

Customer Reviews

WAIT FOR THE RERELEASE
I've just examined some of the fullsize screenshots over at AVS and this 'blu-ray' looks terrible.

It uses DNR and EE throughout.

DNR - In 2008, a lot of studios were using this process. Basically, it digitally 'smudges' the image to hide any evidence of film-grain and, predictably, blu-rays with DNR look like s--t. Most studios have stopped using DNR. But Paramount, apparently, is continuing to release this smudgy garbage and trying to pass it off as 'high definition'
(If you want the DNR experience at home; you can get the same effect by smearing vaseline all over your TV set. Yes, that's about what it looks like)

EE - Edge Enhancement; in DVD days, when everyone was watching on tiny televisions, studios would use EE which basically messes with the colors a bit and adds bright white halos all around the edges ('enhances' them) That might have made sense on a 10" screen, but on a decent sized television it looks terrible.

There should be a proper release of this soon. Wait for that.

A Total Mess
This review refers to the blu-ray picture quality only. The movie itself is an absolute classic. Unfortunately this blu-ray was a victim of considerable DNR and EE that has actually removed and distorted picture detail. Here's a good example. At the beginning of the movie where we see Maximus as a General leading a final battle, you see an amazing wide shot of flying, flaming, arrows. It should look amazing, right? Wrong. The picture was DNR'd so badly that it actually removed arrows and the ones you can see are a blurred mess! Absolutely terrible. Don't waste your money on this. Wait until they release a quality blu-ray because "this is not it!"

DO NOT BUY WARNING!!!
This movie has been ruined by DNR and EE. Do not support studios ruining the picture of movies through noise reduction and artificial sharpening. They think they can take the easy way out and upscale and DNR and EE the DVD version then sell it to you for $30+. IF YOU BUY THIS YOU ARE BEING SCREWED BY THESE CROOKS.