Product Description

SET IN ROMAN TIMES A BANISHED ROMAN GENERAL FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK AS A GLADIATOR. THE ONLY POWER STRONGER THAN THE EMPEROR IS THE GREATEST HERO IN ALL THE EMPIRE.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #934 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2003-08-19
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 155 minutes

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.