Over the course of the action scenes, Russell Crowe lost all feeling in his right forefinger for two years afterwards. He also aggravated his achilles, broke his foot, cracked his hip, and popped some bicep tendons out of their sockets. But even so, he won an Academy Award for best actor. An absolute LEGEND
It's not a movie, it's an all-time masterpiece of cinematography. This is a masterpiece for another 100th generation will be watched. It is a pity that they don't shoot more of these
If there were more of these it would only detract from their greatness. Movies like this and Saving Private Ryan will stand the test of time because they are so far above their contemporaries.
No joke, when I left the theater, I wiped rears from my eyes. I'm a big, gruff looking dude. Two college age girls were in the line for the next showing, and one says, "was he crying? WAS HE CRYING? I can't go in there!" I'm not ashamed to say, yes, I cried. That ending was beautiful.
its not perse disgusted, its more to do with hopelessness. they think If a man (whos physically stronger than me) cries, that means he cannot defend me, then im really fucked. @@phoenixpocho9572
God, Joaquin Phoenix is just so good in this movie. Also you may have recognized the late Richard Harris (Marc Aurel, the emperor) as Professor Dumbledore in HP 1+2 (RIP).
I’ve only subscribed to a few reaction channels since it’s such an over saturated type of content but after watching your reaction to LOTR and HP, as well as this film I decided to sub. You seem to be genuinely invested in the films you watch and you show a lot of compassion. I whole heartedly appreciate that. Looking forward to future reactions.
@@johnrob3215 🤣🤣🤣 I know I, too, have been waiting with bated breath for.....what's her name....to bring the world her amazing vision and keen insight that us mere mortals could never possibly fathom. I love reaction channels and they are, no doubt, worthy of paying to watch them enlighten all us stoops to the beauty of cinema. If it wasn't for Hollywood and now these modern day visionaries....the world itself would stop rotating on its axis.
@John Rob @KOBA 🤦♂ While new vision and insights do pop up from time to time, they're secondary. The point of a reaction video is empathy, sharing a positive experience with someone new, vicarious pleasure, and exploring the shared and differing feelings and perspectives in our fellow humans -- but clearly you don't value these things which means you don't belong here.
im sorry but not at all. i couldn't even commit to the whole thing bc her lack of knowledge of basic history is astonishing, but forgivable. her inability to follow basic plot points (she forgot Commodus thought Maximus was dead!?) is ridiculous, though, and her lack of understanding of basic character development is like trying to watch a 5 year old grasp the grand intricacies of an episode of Dora the Explorer. these are the kind of ppl you waste a good reaction on. she seems nice, tho
No matter how many times I watch this movie or watch someone else react to it. I always get emotional at the end… Maximus is the epitome of what we ALL should try to be like in life. Among the Top 10 greatest movies of all times. No question.
I love how, at the end, his image of the afterlife is the road leading downhill through the wheat fields toward his farm, with his wife and son waiting for him to come home.
Stef! I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on your decision to have your Patreon members suggest movies for you to watch. There were so many incredible Hollywood movies made between 1980 - 2010 that many in your generation have not yet seen, and I assure your members will do you right. Your reaction made me subscribe immediately.
It wasn't that Lucilla knew Maximus' family was going to killed, she found out after the decision had already been made and the soldiers had been sent to carry out the order--not that she could have done anything to stop it if she had known before hand.
This is very powerful movie. One of the greatest EVER made. It's not even close to 100% historically accurate. However... It does give a pretty accurate portrayal into tactics of Roman Legions in battle at the time and how brutal the warfare was. Also the plotting to kill the Emporer. The games in the Colloseum... the corruption of Rome and Senate... All pretty realistic if not historically accurate portrayels. One of the main things that isn't accurate in the films is Gladiators rarely killed or died in the arena. It was known to happen but they often survived their battle and were treated more like Sports Celebrities at the time. Still with the violence of the games in the arena sometimes Gladiators did die in gruesome ways. Wonderful and inspiring movie.
Watching these movies you see just how good movies used to be. They are such gems from a time gone by. I’m Super happy to see you enjoy this. Seeing you tear up I smiled and cried along. When a story touches you it’s a great one.
I mean they still come by every now and than but they are indeed rare. Tarantino, Nolan, Ridley himself, Scorsese, etc... they still make great movies imho, some of them are hit and miss but they did some phenomenal ones as well.
My all-time favorite; the movie that made me want to become a filmmaker, the reason I moved to LA almost a decade ago, the reason I still write screenplays back on the East coast. Let's Go Stef 💪. Got my snacks and drink ready.
My favorite movie of all time. The music, the story, the acting. Everything about this movie is perfect and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. And this movie was made 23 years ago…that shows how strong this move was and is.
Your doing great girl. . Don't be ashamed for crying. I can tell how empathic you are . By how quick you can feel how they feel. .. embrace it. Your fans don't hate you. Or enjoy making you cry.. we enjoy seeing your feelings to remind us of our own feelings..
That was Joaquin Phoenix aka "The Joker" portraying Commodus! It was a thankless role but he threw himself into the role and was an excellent villain! He made you hate him! That is the sign of an exceptional actor,not taking the part of the beloved hero, but chewing up the scenery with hatred and vengeance!
Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator and Jack Gleeson in Game of Thrones have to be the most universally hated villains of all time. You know you did a good job portraying a villain when you get threats in real life. And if you give those threats to actors of a fictional character you are a loser of the highest degree.
@@georgebaker1486late reply, but don’t forget about some of the other GoT villains. Another top one being Ramsay Snow/Bolton, played by Welsh actor Iwan Rheon. Brilliant performance of another kind of deliciously evil, cruel villain, pretty hated too. He coincidentally stars in an Ancient Rome series now, Those About to Die.
Rubbing dirt on your hands before a fight might be for luck, but I'd like to think it's like using chalk to improve your grip. 😊 I still love this movie after all these years. This was also the moment I became a fan of Hans Zimmer as a composer, his score is epic!
man im still a 36 year old man and i still bawl my eyes out at the end even after so many viewings of this movie. Still my favorite ever since it came out.
I am 66 and saw a few things that the character Maximus saw/endured so I am not exactly soft around the edges and I cannot keep from being misty eyed at the end.
As someone with a bit of an obsession with Ancient Rome, it is amazing to me how little she seems to know about it. Most of the things she's confused about were definitely taught in schools so it's not like you have to do extra research to learn it.
Many people finds ancient history incredibly boring and tedious because its just not something they're interested in. And even if you learn it enough to pass your test there is a really good chance that a couple years later you will forget all about it. I for one love history, so for me all it took was reading stuff and I could recite the gist of it only had to go back to make sure I've got the finer details right.
@@neutchain7838 if you find ancient history such as this "boring and tedious" then its because you didn't even try to learn it through laziness. If you actually tried you can visualize all of this as if watching a movie but in real life.
@@RobRochonThat's not how it works. For example. I did really well in math at school. Bumped ahead 2 grades. I tried and I wasn't lazy at all. I had zero interest in it and found it very boring though. I just had an aptitude. People like what they like and dislike what they do independant of effort. It's a little crazy to me that you could manage to conflate effort with enjoyment. Sounds like someone was lazy in logic.
Several of the characters you see in this movie were real historical figures. Marcus Aurelius was considered the last of the "Good Emperors" of Rome. Commodus was his son but while he did not murder his father he was such a bad emperor that he, himself, was murdered by members of his household and the Praetorian Guard. The Praetorian Guard, ironically, existed to protect the emperor and Commodus was also not the first to be killed by them.
love seeing people's reaction to this movie. they are all the same with despising J.Phoenix's character in this movie which just shows how amazing he was
Great reaction to a great movie. BTW, Richard Harris played Emperor Marcus Aurelius who also played Dumbledore in Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. What a great actor. Aloha
His son, Jared Harris, is another great actor. One of his most recent projects, the 5-part miniseries "Chernobyl" , should be a future reaction for you to do.
Walked out of the theater having seen this for the first time back in 2000 when it was released, and was thankful that I wasn't the only MAN who was choked up by that ending. Then I saw the movie again in the theater about a week later, and I hardly EVER see a movie more than once in the theaters.
ive seen this movie litterally 40 or 50 times and still go back to it now and then everytime it never gets old also this movie won like 27 nominations or something i think it could be put on maybe top 5 or top 3 best movies ever made in history just legendary script and play and altho the story was never based on one real individual it was based on 2 lives who did live and who knows somewhere in the roman empire this story really unfolded those times where full of betrayal and intrigue bribery and power ...
This is my all time #1 Film, i love this movie and Russel did such a job displaying emotion in his role. Happy you watched this :D The music in this is legendary and makes the emotion come through like nothing else, only thing comparable would be LOTR
Dibs on The Green Mile. It's a film that you watch and the room gets really smokey at the end (your eyes start to water for some reason). Gets me every time.
I don't know if that's a good idea. She didn't understand anything with this movie. She will be even more lost with those. Take a drink every time she says she is confused and you'll be passed out in no time.
So after discovering your channel from your Good Will Hunting reaction tonight, I decided to see if you did a Gladiator reaction as this is my favorite movie of all time. Very glad I did. Love how genuine you are in both reactions. I look forward to digging deeper into your catalogue.
Some actual historical facts: In the year 177 CE, at the age of 16, (ruling jointly with his father until Marcus Aurelius' death in 180 CE) Commodus became the youngest Emperor and consul of Rome to rule at that time in history. During his time as Emperor the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict and peace compared with the reign of his father, and he was initially well liked by the people of Rome. However, later intrigues and conspiracies led him to adopt an increasingly dictatorial style of leadership, culminating in his creating a deific personality cult, which included his actually performing as a gladiator in the Colosseum (that element of the movie is based on fact). However, the movie was fiction, there was no General named Maximus at that time, and Commodus didn't die in gladiatorial combat, but rather by assassination.
Stumbled across your channel due to this epic film & I say you did it justice. Russell Crowe was outstanding as was Joaquin Phoenix (who was so good that I think I despise Commodus more than any other character ever). Excellent cinematography, set design & score make this in my top 20 movies. If I may suggest an equally fine film by Crowe, watch “Master and Commander”. It’s a period piece that historians note that it is one of the most accurate depictions of naval warfare ever. Think I’ll stick around & see what you’re watching; maybe some classic films will come up…?
Maximus was in the desert a long time, he probably had a whole lot of humidity. Lucius' mother's name is Lucilla. I think they only said it once in the entire movie.
26:45 - The crowd chanting "live! live! live!", forcing the Emperor to give the thumbs-up and let Maximus live, is a perfect microcosm of the predicament that Commodus faces: he wants to dissolve the senate (who represents the voice of the people, albeit corruptly) and claim all power for himself. But in the arena, it is *precisely* the voice of the people that reigns supreme, and if Commodus were to demand Maximus' death while the crowd calls for him to live, Commodus would quickly become an unloved and unwelcome emperor.
One of the greatest movies ever made and my second favourite film after 'The Matrix. I tear up every time in this movie, especially at the end. There are 3 times in a man's life when he's allowed to cry: 1. When he stubs his toe 2. When a loved one dies 3. At the end of Gladiator and/or The last Samurai.
This movie is one of those classics. When I was living in my apartment years and years ago I didn’t have cable I just watched this DVD every single day for like a year. This movie has my heart
I was going to say that watching this was like watching a baby deer try to learn how to walk... but it is more like watching a baby deer try to comprehend this movie
5 Academy Award winner. Is one of the greatest films of all time. The famous phrase at the beginning "at my signal, unleash hell" was invented by our dubbing director here in Italy, who later Ridley Scott liked so much that he inserted it by changing the original phrase of the film.
All of our hearts break that so much good was gone from the world. Always hardest on those left behind when those we love and respect go to their reward. Good react!
Hey Sweetheart, shout out from the US Marine Corps! I just found your channel and I absolutely love you! I saw this movie in theatres! I knew you were going to love this movie! I cry every time at the end too! He said, "Maximus the merciful!" Because obviously he was defying the emperors call. Also, "Are you not entertained, Are you not entertained?!" Has become a famous line! Joaquin Phoenix is one of the best hated villains ever thanks to this movie! So sadistic and a total Narcissist! Also at the end the dart was poisoned. The emperor though he would succumb to the poison so he could beat him easier. But true warriors like myself and Generals are just generally and should be stronger then the average person. While every one else is running from the active shooter I'll be running toward him! I don't understand that. How come everyone doesn't run toward the active shooter. Yeah maybe a few ppl will get killed but a lot better then 15-20 killed. I'll gladly give my life for another person that is good hearted. Anyways I absolutely love your reaction and if you want to see an unbelievable movie that will make you, cry, laugh, and be super happy watch Interstellar! I can't wait to watch more w/ you!
On a historical note, commidus was a co-emperor with his father for a few years before Marcus Arelius died. But Commidus was a butthole. He would fight in the arena and rig his own gladiator battles. He was assassinated some time into his rule
"And thank you for picking this as the first film from Patreon. You guys are not going easy on me -- I'll keep that in mind." Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture< Actor, Costume Design, Visual Effects, and Sound (and nominated for 7 more). They offered you the best of the best. What more could you ask for?! 😁
Stef thank you so much for reacting to this movie. Last comment I promise! Haha. It really is a graphic and gruesome movie but in the end it is one of the most inspirational and touching movies ever made. Thank you so much for your emotional reaction to it.
Great reaction Stef! A really good movie. By the way, did you know that the old Emperor Marcus Aurelius (who got killed by his son) was played by the actor that was Dumbledore for the first couple HP movies??? I didn't think you noticed. ;-)
The arena they fought in is the famous ROMAN COLISEUM which still stands today and this is were the early Christians were fed to the Lions as entertainment
Glad you’re watching Gladiator, it’s one of my absolute favorite movies of all time, I think I would at some point love for you to watch TV shows such as (like): Breaking Bad, Game Of Thrones (even with the divisive ending), and Stranger Things
@@brysonfreeman7226 yes, but still was an epic character. And since Stef is also a guitarist...... Yeah, I would really be curious to see her reaction to that character.
So in an interview, Russell Crowe talks about the flight of the Robin at the start. He said that Ridley Scott wanted that moment where the bird takes his attention for a brief moment, but it's flight brings him straight back to staring at the battlefield. You can really see the shift in emotion in that moment.
Just found you and really enjoyed watching this with you. It's also cool to see you have a tender heart , very rare these days. Look forward to watching more .
@stefsolari Ive seen this movie 6+ times. Dont remember If I ever cried watching it. If I have I dont think I cried as much watching this movie while you wathced it. And! You held back on some scenes I could tell you were holding back showing emotion in some of the parts. Top movies of all time.
First of all amazing reaction to one of my favourite films of all time!! Also, the old man emperor at the start of the film depicts Marcus Aurelius, who was a real life emperor. His writings were turned into a literature called "Meditations" which is considered one of the key teachings in the philosophy of Stoicism. The film Gladiator, and many characters including Maximus seem to revolve around the ideas of stoic living. There is a video called "Stoicism in Gladiator" which explains this well!
@tannhauser5399 I also have 'The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus' in a volume that also includes his biography and The Philosophy of Antoninus by GEORGE LONG, M.A. Additionally it includes Plato's account of The Apology of Socrates and the writings of Crito and Phaedo! Also, The Golden Sayings of Epictetus. It resides on the second shelf of my bookcase. Interestingly, I find that some of his 'meditations' mirror the teachings of the 1st and 2nd century Christian writers. Peace out...
I dont understand why the subtitles stay on the screen at all times. Is that some kind of alternate setting? How is this being watched? Pirated version or something?
you mention the purple clothes of the emperor at the beginning of the movie. In ancient times purple was often the color of royalty. this is because back then purple was by far the hardest colored dye to get so things like purple clothes were very expensive. of course the royalty in ancient civilizations were interested in flaunting their wealth and one way to do that was wearing purple.
The moment @ 32:04 is where I skip to, to see the reviewer's reaction. Yours was perfect. I choke up every time. And Maximus' reply to Commodus' savage words was the epitome of the Stoic philosophy espoused by Maximus' benefactor, Marcus Aurelius.
A hero is only as good as his antithesis. Russel Crowe personifies everything you aspire to be as a man. Brave, honest, loyal, moral, strong, a loving husband and father, honorable, resilient, true, etc, etc. No matter the hardships. The leadership part is not something I aspire to, but I sure admire, it because it tells me the strength of his character, which is another quality you hope to have. BUT, all this works so well because Joaquin Phoenix lived in the shell of a coward, conniving, disloyal, lying, weak, hated, momma's boy. He, as always, delivered magnificently in his role. It's always harder to play the bad guy. Not everyone can do it. One of my all-time favorite movies, because of the period as well.
This movie will always have a special place in my memory. It was the second R-rated film I ever saw (Braveheart was the first) and the first I didn't watch with my parents. My high school senior class watched it at a classmate's house at a new year's party just after it was released to home video.
According to Gladiator II, Lucius is actually Maximus' son (he's the main character of the movie which isn't in theaters here in the US for another 4 days)
This, is my all time favorite film. I think that I watch it, every time I see that it's on. Watch again by yourself, you'll notice a lot more. WJFT... wisdom, justice, fortitude & temperment.
@@paulfeist On the day of my judgement when I stand before God and he asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I going to say? That it was my job.
along with Black hawk down one of the best sound tracks & perfectly placed. Kingdom of Heaven was another with a great sound track that was perfectly placed.
42:24 There are many similar things said by war veterans up to this day through all history. The only real "fearless" soldier would be one that completely lost his mind. The courageous soldiers carried the underlying fear of death through all the battles they fought. What made them brave was being able to not succumb to it.
Ridley Scott makes all great movies! His first two sci-fi movies set the standard for all sci-fi afterwards, except for John Carpenter's, The Thing! But Ridley did alien in 79 and Bladerunner in 81 or 82, and still nothing compares! And his movies are all special and practical effects, no CGI! So much better than CGI! Oliver Reed is his teacher. He's old school Hollywood. He died before the film was finished, so some of his duologue and time in film, is actually CGI!😮😮😮 The giant German guy is Rolf Mueller. And 80s era pro bodybuilder, after Arnold's time. He was very good, ! The undefeated gladiator is Sven Ol Thorsen. He's been in Hollywood for over forty years! His first movie was with Arnold, in Conan the Barbarian. And to this day, he's never learned a sentence of English...he just repeats lines that are given to him!😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 The original king is Richard Harris. Also Old School Hollywood royalty! His greatest movie is sixty years old, A Man Called Horse!!!
This film is so big part of my life. This film made my young mind blow away in awe. Right after watching this film, my mom told me that Marcus Aurelius was real and had written a books. So next day I went library and borrowed his books that were available. My mind was blown again when realizing I was reading mind and thoughts of one the greatest roman Emperors ever lived. I still have VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K version of this film. Absolutely a masterpiece.
Derek Jacobi who plays the good senator was the star of a mini series back in the 70s called I Claudius it is one of The best shows about Rome you will ever see intriguing and informative
It's okay, I still cry at the end of this one. One of the first 2 dvd's I ever purchased.. this and shawshank redemption (yeah, that's how good this movie is!) Purchased this back when I only made less than 10 bucks an hour, working full-time and going to grad school. It just seemed... essential. Oh, and this one also put Joaquin Phoenix on my radar. Wow, phenomenal acting. HATED Commodus.
I think you would enjoy Ben Hur with Charlton Heston.... what an epic show, what a story, was written by a US general.... the movie was made about 1957 or so..... very good story, amazing quality even by today's standards.
Others have said it, but since I only discovered Stef in the last couple of weeks and only saw this reaction today, let me add my voice to it: This is the movie that men cry at. It portrays the masculine ideal, Maximus, the man men wish they could be. Not just strong, powerful, able to win in a fight, but also to be stoic, loving, inclusive, compassionate and gentle. Some commenters have already forgotten the second part. He is the man we aspire to be. Commodus, on the other hand, is the man we recognise in ourselves. Not necessarily stupid, not unskilled, but not a man that is admired by the populace at large nor his contemporaries, and thus has retreated into weakness. And a weak man with power is a supremely dangerous thing (as history relates). The incest angle is an annoying shortcut (even if historically true Ridley Scott has shown that facts dont get in the way of the story he wants to tell), and even if the scenes with his sister and her son are some of the best. As ever with this type of film the villain has more fun than the hero, and in many ways Phoenix is what makes this stand out, gives it a modicum of complexity. Otherwise it's a meat and two veg story of vengeance. But Scott and his DP film it brilliantly, the score is amazing, and Crowe as rugged as required. And then he finds his way to the wheat fields and we cry. And we are not ashamed.
I enjoyed sharing the journey, thank you. BTW if you look into the life of Roman emperor Caligula, that is true madness!! The film, "300" would be a great follow up...
Over the course of the action scenes, Russell Crowe lost all feeling in his right forefinger for two years afterwards. He also aggravated his achilles, broke his foot, cracked his hip, and popped some bicep tendons out of their sockets. But even so, he won an Academy Award for best actor. An absolute LEGEND
Are you not entertained?! :D
Method acting at its finest. ;)
Don’t your fingers hurt from being a badger? 🤣
@@SLAPERZZ1 TIL what the slang term "badger" means (someone who is overly prepared or overly keen for something).
@@NightSkyJeff well done
One of the most iconic villains ever. Great performances from both leads.
#1 hated screen muthafukka.
Joaquin almost made me believe that he a whole real life Commodus, like that what he does in his spare time😂What an actor man!
Oliver Reed acting was also incredible
Joaquin is next level acting , one of the best
It's not a movie, it's an all-time masterpiece of cinematography. This is a masterpiece for another 100th generation will be watched. It is a pity that they don't shoot more of these
And that forest burning isn’t CGI. It’s a real forest so they only had one shot at that opening scene.
Definitely the best opening in cinematic history...
If there were more of these it would only detract from their greatness. Movies like this and Saving Private Ryan will stand the test of time because they are so far above their contemporaries.
No joke, when I left the theater, I wiped rears from my eyes. I'm a big, gruff looking dude.
Two college age girls were in the line for the next showing, and one says, "was he crying? WAS HE CRYING? I can't go in there!"
I'm not ashamed to say, yes, I cried. That ending was beautiful.
women are disgusted by men crying.
@@phoenixpocho9572 You don't know many women, do you?
@@phoenixpocho9572 your right hand cannot identify as a woman. Just sayin' ;)
its not perse disgusted, its more to do with hopelessness. they think If a man (whos physically stronger than me) cries, that means he cannot defend me, then im really fucked. @@phoenixpocho9572
@stpatty3310 He is a pansy, so he talks big
Gladiator is a diamond movie.
Just like the last samurai.
God, Joaquin Phoenix is just so good in this movie. Also you may have recognized the late Richard Harris (Marc Aurel, the emperor) as Professor Dumbledore in HP 1+2 (RIP).
Love❤
I’ve only subscribed to a few reaction channels since it’s such an over saturated type of content but after watching your reaction to LOTR and HP, as well as this film I decided to sub. You seem to be genuinely invested in the films you watch and you show a lot of compassion. I whole heartedly appreciate that. Looking forward to future reactions.
Wow, I appreciate it so much. I’m still a bit new to the reaction world so I genuinely appreciate your kindness, it means a lot. Thank you for this
It also probably helps that she's probably one of the most beautiful women on TH-cam ever.
@@johnrob3215 🤣🤣🤣 I know I, too, have been waiting with bated breath for.....what's her name....to bring the world her amazing vision and keen insight that us mere mortals could never possibly fathom. I love reaction channels and they are, no doubt, worthy of paying to watch them enlighten all us stoops to the beauty of cinema. If it wasn't for Hollywood and now these modern day visionaries....the world itself would stop rotating on its axis.
@John Rob @KOBA 🤦♂ While new vision and insights do pop up from time to time, they're secondary. The point of a reaction video is empathy, sharing a positive experience with someone new, vicarious pleasure, and exploring the shared and differing feelings and perspectives in our fellow humans -- but clearly you don't value these things which means you don't belong here.
im sorry but not at all. i couldn't even commit to the whole thing bc her lack of knowledge of basic history is astonishing, but forgivable. her inability to follow basic plot points (she forgot Commodus thought Maximus was dead!?) is ridiculous, though, and her lack of understanding of basic character development is like trying to watch a 5 year old grasp the grand intricacies of an episode of Dora the Explorer. these are the kind of ppl you waste a good reaction on. she seems nice, tho
The grandfather of this movie is the 1959 film "BEN HUR". You should give it a look.
No matter how many times I watch this movie or watch someone else react to it. I always get emotional at the end… Maximus is the epitome of what we ALL should try to be like in life. Among the Top 10 greatest movies of all times. No question.
@Carlos Lionel - then you probably would enjoy reading something like Marcus Aurelius "Meditations" writing...
@@tannhauser5399 I certainly will read it, thanks for recommending it 👌👍
I love how, at the end, his image of the afterlife is the road leading downhill through the wheat fields toward his farm, with his wife and son waiting for him to come home.
Too bad you didn't include the "Am I not merciful" scene. I love that part
Stef! I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on your decision to have your Patreon members suggest movies for you to watch. There were so many incredible Hollywood movies made between 1980 - 2010 that many in your generation have not yet seen, and I assure your members will do you right. Your reaction made me subscribe immediately.
There are always two sides to that sword.
It wasn't that Lucilla knew Maximus' family was going to killed, she found out after the decision had already been made and the soldiers had been sent to carry out the order--not that she could have done anything to stop it if she had known before hand.
This is very powerful movie. One of the greatest EVER made. It's not even close to 100% historically accurate. However... It does give a pretty accurate portrayal into tactics of Roman Legions in battle at the time and how brutal the warfare was. Also the plotting to kill the Emporer. The games in the Colloseum... the corruption of Rome and Senate... All pretty realistic if not historically accurate portrayels. One of the main things that isn't accurate in the films is Gladiators rarely killed or died in the arena. It was known to happen but they often survived their battle and were treated more like Sports Celebrities at the time. Still with the violence of the games in the arena sometimes Gladiators did die in gruesome ways. Wonderful and inspiring movie.
Watching these movies you see just how good movies used to be. They are such gems from a time gone by.
I’m Super happy to see you enjoy this. Seeing you tear up I smiled and cried along. When a story touches you it’s a great one.
I mean they still come by every now and than but they are indeed rare. Tarantino, Nolan, Ridley himself, Scorsese, etc... they still make great movies imho, some of them are hit and miss but they did some phenomenal ones as well.
My all-time favorite; the movie that made me want to become a filmmaker, the reason I moved to LA almost a decade ago, the reason I still write screenplays back on the East coast. Let's Go Stef 💪. Got my snacks and drink ready.
My favorite movie of all time. The music, the story, the acting. Everything about this movie is perfect and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes. And this movie was made 23 years ago…that shows how strong this move was and is.
Your doing great girl. . Don't be ashamed for crying. I can tell how empathic you are . By how quick you can feel how they feel. .. embrace it. Your fans don't hate you. Or enjoy making you cry.. we enjoy seeing your feelings to remind us of our own feelings..
That was Joaquin Phoenix aka "The Joker" portraying Commodus! It was a thankless role but he threw himself into the role and was an excellent villain! He made you hate him! That is the sign of an exceptional actor,not taking the part of the beloved hero, but chewing up the scenery with hatred and vengeance!
I couldn't think of another actor that could have played that part as well as him. Just amazing acting.
Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator and Jack Gleeson in Game of Thrones have to be the most universally hated villains of all time. You know you did a good job portraying a villain when you get threats in real life. And if you give those threats to actors of a fictional character you are a loser of the highest degree.
@@georgebaker1486late reply, but don’t forget about some of the other GoT villains. Another top one being Ramsay Snow/Bolton, played by Welsh actor Iwan Rheon. Brilliant performance of another kind of deliciously evil, cruel villain, pretty hated too. He coincidentally stars in an Ancient Rome series now, Those About to Die.
Rubbing dirt on your hands before a fight might be for luck, but I'd like to think it's like using chalk to improve your grip. 😊
I still love this movie after all these years. This was also the moment I became a fan of Hans Zimmer as a composer, his score is epic!
man im still a 36 year old man and i still bawl my eyes out at the end even after so many viewings of this movie. Still my favorite ever since it came out.
I am 66 and saw a few things that the character Maximus saw/endured so I am not exactly soft around the edges and I cannot keep from being misty eyed at the end.
You are still 36... how many years have you been 36??
Steph! Its fun to see you do these watchalongs and reactions, especially to classics like Gladiator.
Just keep being yourself, glad youre posting!
The end of this movie never fails to make me want to give my little girl the hugest cuddles forever.
As someone with a bit of an obsession with Ancient Rome, it is amazing to me how little she seems to know about it. Most of the things she's confused about were definitely taught in schools so it's not like you have to do extra research to learn it.
Many people finds ancient history incredibly boring and tedious because its just not something they're interested in. And even if you learn it enough to pass your test there is a really good chance that a couple years later you will forget all about it. I for one love history, so for me all it took was reading stuff and I could recite the gist of it only had to go back to make sure I've got the finer details right.
I was thinking the same thing. I think she might actually be too 'young' for this film in that regard.
@@neutchain7838 if you find ancient history such as this "boring and tedious" then its because you didn't even try to learn it through laziness. If you actually tried you can visualize all of this as if watching a movie but in real life.
@@RobRochonThat's not how it works. For example. I did really well in math at school. Bumped ahead 2 grades. I tried and I wasn't lazy at all. I had zero interest in it and found it very boring though. I just had an aptitude. People like what they like and dislike what they do independant of effort.
It's a little crazy to me that you could manage to conflate effort with enjoyment. Sounds like someone was lazy in logic.
@@Lloocii the fail in logic is attempting to conflate an academic subject such as math with reading history.
I've seen this movie so many, many times, but that doesn't stop the tears at the end!
Several of the characters you see in this movie were real historical figures. Marcus Aurelius was considered the last of the "Good Emperors" of Rome. Commodus was his son but while he did not murder his father he was such a bad emperor that he, himself, was murdered by members of his household and the Praetorian Guard. The Praetorian Guard, ironically, existed to protect the emperor and Commodus was also not the first to be killed by them.
18:07 "I have seen much of the rest of the world. It is brutal and cruel and dark. Rome is the light !"
Outstanding RV! Genuine emotions, insightful comments and my favorite allowing us to enjoy the movie all over again through you. Thank you.
19:35
Gladiator matches were a business. Like boxing and UFC fighting, except with weapons and death. Proximo is merely being a businessman.
love seeing people's reaction to this movie. they are all the same with despising J.Phoenix's character in this movie which just shows how amazing he was
Great reaction to a great movie. BTW, Richard Harris played Emperor Marcus Aurelius who also played Dumbledore in Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. What a great actor. Aloha
Richard Harris also was the singer in the seven minute hit song MacArthur Park. Apparently, he also recorded several albums of music.
@@bluebird1239 He Played King Arthur in "Camelot"
Also starred in the great film "A Man called Horse"
His son, Jared Harris, is another great actor. One of his most recent projects, the 5-part miniseries "Chernobyl" , should be a future reaction for you to do.
@@penfold7455 I didn't know that Jared is his son, absolutely a great actor
Amazing reaction. You are incredible. Your level of empathy is huge. I was crying each time you were crying... and also, your face is beautiful :)
Walked out of the theater having seen this for the first time back in 2000 when it was released, and was thankful that I wasn't the only MAN who was choked up by that ending.
Then I saw the movie again in the theater about a week later, and I hardly EVER see a movie more than once in the theaters.
ive seen this movie litterally 40 or 50 times and still go back to it now and then everytime it never gets old also this movie won like 27 nominations or something i think it could be put on maybe top 5 or top 3 best movies ever made in history just legendary script and play and altho the story was never based on one real individual it was based on 2 lives who did live and who knows somewhere in the roman empire this story really unfolded those times where full of betrayal and intrigue bribery and power ...
I watched it in the theater as, i went to the premier
This is my all time #1 Film, i love this movie and Russel did such a job displaying emotion in his role. Happy you watched this :D The music in this is legendary and makes the emotion come through like nothing else, only thing comparable would be LOTR
Stef needs her patrons to vote her to see 1) The Green Mile and 2) The Shawshank Redemption
Dibs on The Green Mile. It's a film that you watch and the room gets really smokey at the end (your eyes start to water for some reason). Gets me every time.
😅
Green mile
BOTH!!!
I don't know if that's a good idea. She didn't understand anything with this movie. She will be even more lost with those. Take a drink every time she says she is confused and you'll be passed out in no time.
So after discovering your channel from your Good Will Hunting reaction tonight, I decided to see if you did a Gladiator reaction as this is my favorite movie of all time. Very glad I did. Love how genuine you are in both reactions. I look forward to digging deeper into your catalogue.
Some actual historical facts:
In the year 177 CE, at the age of 16, (ruling jointly with his father until Marcus Aurelius' death in 180 CE) Commodus became the youngest Emperor and consul of Rome to rule at that time in history. During his time as Emperor the Roman Empire enjoyed reduced military conflict and peace compared with the reign of his father, and he was initially well liked by the people of Rome. However, later intrigues and conspiracies led him to adopt an increasingly dictatorial style of leadership, culminating in his creating a deific personality cult, which included his actually performing as a gladiator in the Colosseum (that element of the movie is based on fact). However, the movie was fiction, there was no General named Maximus at that time, and Commodus didn't die in gladiatorial combat, but rather by assassination.
Stumbled across your channel due to this epic film & I say you did it justice. Russell Crowe was outstanding as was Joaquin Phoenix (who was so good that I think I despise Commodus more than any other character ever). Excellent cinematography, set design & score make this in my top 20 movies. If I may suggest an equally fine film by Crowe, watch “Master and Commander”. It’s a period piece that historians note that it is one of the most accurate depictions of naval warfare ever. Think I’ll stick around & see what you’re watching; maybe some classic films will come up…?
This was one of the first movies 🍿 I was able to watch in a cinema, as I was just coming of age. What an experience
Maximus was in the desert a long time, he probably had a whole lot of humidity. Lucius' mother's name is Lucilla. I think they only said it once in the entire movie.
26:45 - The crowd chanting "live! live! live!", forcing the Emperor to give the thumbs-up and let Maximus live, is a perfect microcosm of the predicament that Commodus faces: he wants to dissolve the senate (who represents the voice of the people, albeit corruptly) and claim all power for himself. But in the arena, it is *precisely* the voice of the people that reigns supreme, and if Commodus were to demand Maximus' death while the crowd calls for him to live, Commodus would quickly become an unloved and unwelcome emperor.
Over the years I've watched this movie tenfold times. I always cried. In recent years I've watched probably a dozen or more reactions. I always cry.
One of the greatest movies ever made and my second favourite film after 'The Matrix.
I tear up every time in this movie, especially at the end.
There are 3 times in a man's life when he's allowed to cry:
1. When he stubs his toe
2. When a loved one dies
3. At the end of Gladiator and/or The last Samurai.
Rubbing soil in hands is his "pre-game" ritual. Now days most athletes and performers have some kind of ritual to calm down and focus.
This movie is one of those classics. When I was living in my apartment years and years ago I didn’t have cable I just watched this DVD every single day for like a year. This movie has my heart
I was going to say that watching this was like watching a baby deer try to learn how to walk... but it is more like watching a baby deer try to comprehend this movie
Two things get me everytime.
His reveal to the emporer w/ preceding battle and of course the ending.
Spectacular movie.
5 Academy Award winner. Is one of the greatest films of all time. The famous phrase at the beginning "at my signal, unleash hell" was invented by our dubbing director here in Italy, who later Ridley Scott liked so much that he inserted it by changing the original phrase of the film.
Another great reaction Stef! So glad I found your channel, and can't wait to see what you bring us next! ☺️
All of our hearts break that so much good was gone from the world. Always hardest on those left behind when those we love and respect go to their reward. Good react!
Hey Sweetheart, shout out from the US Marine Corps! I just found your channel and I absolutely love you! I saw this movie in theatres! I knew you were going to love this movie! I cry every time at the end too! He said, "Maximus the merciful!" Because obviously he was defying the emperors call. Also, "Are you not entertained, Are you not entertained?!" Has become a famous line! Joaquin Phoenix is one of the best hated villains ever thanks to this movie! So sadistic and a total Narcissist! Also at the end the dart was poisoned. The emperor though he would succumb to the poison so he could beat him easier. But true warriors like myself and Generals are just generally and should be stronger then the average person. While every one else is running from the active shooter I'll be running toward him! I don't understand that. How come everyone doesn't run toward the active shooter. Yeah maybe a few ppl will get killed but a lot better then 15-20 killed. I'll gladly give my life for another person that is good hearted. Anyways I absolutely love your reaction and if you want to see an unbelievable movie that will make you, cry, laugh, and be super happy watch Interstellar! I can't wait to watch more w/ you!
On a historical note, commidus was a co-emperor with his father for a few years before Marcus Arelius died. But Commidus was a butthole. He would fight in the arena and rig his own gladiator battles. He was assassinated some time into his rule
Our film hero is a simple farmer by heart represented by several smaller scenes throughout the movie - testing the soil, touching the wheat..
Lindo filme, linda música, linda trilha sonora... E você Stef Solari tem uma Alma boa 🙏🏻👽🖖🏻
"And thank you for picking this as the first film from Patreon. You guys are not going easy on me -- I'll keep that in mind." Winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture< Actor, Costume Design, Visual Effects, and Sound (and nominated for 7 more). They offered you the best of the best. What more could you ask for?! 😁
Stef thank you so much for reacting to this movie. Last comment I promise! Haha. It really is a graphic and gruesome movie but in the end it is one of the most inspirational and touching movies ever made. Thank you so much for your emotional reaction to it.
Great reaction Stef! A really good movie. By the way, did you know that the old Emperor Marcus Aurelius (who got killed by his son) was played by the actor that was Dumbledore for the first couple HP movies??? I didn't think you noticed. ;-)
Commodus is not a moral man. Joaquin is an incredible actor. Deserved Best Supporting Actor award.
This is my favorite movie. If you don’t cry there’s something wrong with you. It’s beautifully written. Glad you enjoyed it. I cry every time
The arena they fought in is the famous ROMAN COLISEUM which still stands today and this is were the early Christians were fed to the Lions as entertainment
Stef Solari - Great reaction video! Thank you. You have a new subscriber 🙂
First reaction I've seen of yours. Loved it! Love Gladiator so much. Thank you for sharing!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time, loved it from beginning to the end. Loved the Reaction. Look forward to the next one
Glad you’re watching Gladiator, it’s one of my absolute favorite movies of all time, I think I would at some point love for you to watch TV shows such as (like): Breaking Bad, Game Of Thrones (even with the divisive ending), and Stranger Things
OMG if Stef hasn't seen Stranger Things I would freakin love that reaction. Especially with the character of Eddie.
@@jimmygreer2140 Eddie was only in one season, which is: Season 4
@@brysonfreeman7226 yes, but still was an epic character. And since Stef is also a guitarist...... Yeah, I would really be curious to see her reaction to that character.
Una de las mejores reacciónes. tus lágrimas fueron también las mías.
25:31 it’s the colosseum, i’ve been there (the ruins of it) it’s absolutely amazing.
Great reaction as always! This is in my top 10 or top 2 movies of all time depending on my mood lol
So in an interview, Russell Crowe talks about the flight of the Robin at the start. He said that Ridley Scott wanted that moment where the bird takes his attention for a brief moment, but it's flight brings him straight back to staring at the battlefield. You can really see the shift in emotion in that moment.
Just found you and really enjoyed watching this with you. It's also cool to see you have a tender heart , very rare these days. Look forward to watching more .
@stefsolari Ive seen this movie 6+ times. Dont remember If I ever cried watching it. If I have I dont think I cried as much watching this movie while you wathced it. And! You held back on some scenes I could tell you were holding back showing emotion in some of the parts. Top movies of all time.
I remember watching this on the 1st Saturday of this movies release. I saw it twice that Saturday. Such a fantastic movie
First of all amazing reaction to one of my favourite films of all time!! Also, the old man emperor at the start of the film depicts Marcus Aurelius, who was a real life emperor. His writings were turned into a literature called "Meditations" which is considered one of the key teachings in the philosophy of Stoicism. The film Gladiator, and many characters including Maximus seem to revolve around the ideas of stoic living. There is a video called "Stoicism in Gladiator" which explains this well!
@Mark Liu - ah... found another person who like "Meditations". Respect :)
@tannhauser5399 I also have 'The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus' in a volume that also includes his biography and The Philosophy of Antoninus by GEORGE LONG, M.A. Additionally it includes Plato's account of The Apology of Socrates and the writings of Crito and Phaedo! Also, The Golden Sayings of Epictetus. It resides on the second shelf of my bookcase. Interestingly, I find that some of his 'meditations' mirror the teachings of the 1st and 2nd century Christian writers. Peace out...
I dont understand why the subtitles stay on the screen at all times. Is that some kind of alternate setting? How is this being watched? Pirated version or something?
you mention the purple clothes of the emperor at the beginning of the movie. In ancient times purple was often the color of royalty. this is because back then purple was by far the hardest colored dye to get so things like purple clothes were very expensive. of course the royalty in ancient civilizations were interested in flaunting their wealth and one way to do that was wearing purple.
The moment @ 32:04 is where I skip to, to see the reviewer's reaction. Yours was perfect. I choke up every time. And Maximus' reply to Commodus' savage words was the epitome of the Stoic philosophy espoused by Maximus' benefactor, Marcus Aurelius.
A hero is only as good as his antithesis. Russel Crowe personifies everything you aspire to be as a man. Brave, honest, loyal, moral, strong, a loving husband and father, honorable, resilient, true, etc, etc. No matter the hardships. The leadership part is not something I aspire to, but I sure admire, it because it tells me the strength of his character, which is another quality you hope to have.
BUT, all this works so well because Joaquin Phoenix lived in the shell of a coward, conniving, disloyal, lying, weak, hated, momma's boy. He, as always, delivered magnificently in his role. It's always harder to play the bad guy. Not everyone can do it.
One of my all-time favorite movies, because of the period as well.
This movie will always have a special place in my memory. It was the second R-rated film I ever saw (Braveheart was the first) and the first I didn't watch with my parents. My high school senior class watched it at a classmate's house at a new year's party just after it was released to home video.
Another fantastic reaction!!! One of the best movies ever made!!! Braveheart is another suggestion. Keep up the great work!
@Realist Gunner. Completely disagree!!! Just as good of not better than Gladiator!!
@@RealistGunner Lol, clearly I'm talking to a brick wall!!
According to Gladiator II, Lucius is actually Maximus' son (he's the main character of the movie which isn't in theaters here in the US for another 4 days)
This movie won a lot of awards, and it is one of the best films ever made.
This, is my all time favorite film. I think that I watch it, every time I see that it's on. Watch again by yourself, you'll notice a lot more.
WJFT... wisdom, justice, fortitude & temperment.
Hi. You are phenomenal as always. Thank you for taking the time for us 🩷💯
If you want to cry, the #1 guaranteed movie to make you cry is "The Green Mile".
EVERY time... I've watched most of the reactions to The Green Mile on TH-cam, and at certain scenes, I STILL shed a few tears.
@@paulfeist On the day of my judgement when I stand before God and he asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I going to say? That it was my job.
@@michaeladams7102 That's the one... EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
I watch reactions all the time! Why in the Hdoublehockeystikks am I just now finding you! Glad I did 😊 I loved your reaction 😘
I’m new to your channel and I subbed because of your reaction to this incredible movie. I really look forward to more of your content!
In my top 3 greatest films, love it. I never get tired of this movie, one of the last 'classics'
An excllent movie. One line breaks me every timeI see it - "Go to them".
along with Black hawk down one of the best sound tracks & perfectly placed. Kingdom of Heaven was another with a great sound track that was perfectly placed.
42:24 There are many similar things said by war veterans up to this day through all history. The only real "fearless" soldier would be one that completely lost his mind. The courageous soldiers carried the underlying fear of death through all the battles they fought. What made them brave was being able to not succumb to it.
Ridley Scott makes all great movies! His first two sci-fi movies set the standard for all sci-fi afterwards, except for John Carpenter's, The Thing! But Ridley did alien in 79 and Bladerunner in 81 or 82, and still nothing compares! And his movies are all special and practical effects, no CGI! So much better than CGI! Oliver Reed is his teacher. He's old school Hollywood. He died before the film was finished, so some of his duologue and time in film, is actually CGI!😮😮😮
The giant German guy is Rolf Mueller. And 80s era pro bodybuilder, after Arnold's time. He was very good,
! The undefeated gladiator is Sven Ol Thorsen. He's been in Hollywood for over forty years! His first movie was with Arnold, in Conan the Barbarian. And to this day, he's never learned a sentence of English...he just repeats lines that are given to him!😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
The original king is Richard Harris. Also Old School Hollywood royalty! His greatest movie is sixty years old, A Man Called Horse!!!
Should be followed by Braveheart
This film is so big part of my life. This film made my young mind blow away in awe. Right after watching this film, my mom told me that Marcus Aurelius was real and had written a books. So next day I went library and borrowed his books that were available. My mind was blown again when realizing I was reading mind and thoughts of one the greatest roman Emperors ever lived. I still have VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K version of this film. Absolutely a masterpiece.
Derek Jacobi who plays the good senator was the star of a mini series back in the 70s called I Claudius it is one of The best shows about Rome you will ever see intriguing and informative
It's okay, I still cry at the end of this one. One of the first 2 dvd's I ever purchased.. this and shawshank redemption (yeah, that's how good this movie is!) Purchased this back when I only made less than 10 bucks an hour, working full-time and going to grad school. It just seemed... essential. Oh, and this one also put Joaquin Phoenix on my radar. Wow, phenomenal acting. HATED Commodus.
The king is Richard Harris old school Hollywood royalty! A must see movie of his came out in I think the 60s called, A Man Called Horse!
The soundtrack is one of my favorites
I think you would enjoy Ben Hur with Charlton Heston.... what an epic show, what a story, was written by a US general.... the movie was made about 1957 or so..... very good story, amazing quality even by today's standards.
Others have said it, but since I only discovered Stef in the last couple of weeks and only saw this reaction today, let me add my voice to it:
This is the movie that men cry at. It portrays the masculine ideal, Maximus, the man men wish they could be. Not just strong, powerful, able to win in a fight, but also to be stoic, loving, inclusive, compassionate and gentle. Some commenters have already forgotten the second part. He is the man we aspire to be. Commodus, on the other hand, is the man we recognise in ourselves. Not necessarily stupid, not unskilled, but not a man that is admired by the populace at large nor his contemporaries, and thus has retreated into weakness. And a weak man with power is a supremely dangerous thing (as history relates). The incest angle is an annoying shortcut (even if historically true Ridley Scott has shown that facts dont get in the way of the story he wants to tell), and even if the scenes with his sister and her son are some of the best.
As ever with this type of film the villain has more fun than the hero, and in many ways Phoenix is what makes this stand out, gives it a modicum of complexity. Otherwise it's a meat and two veg story of vengeance. But Scott and his DP film it brilliantly, the score is amazing, and Crowe as rugged as required. And then he finds his way to the wheat fields and we cry. And we are not ashamed.
I enjoyed sharing the journey, thank you. BTW if you look into the life of Roman emperor Caligula, that is true madness!! The film, "300" would be a great follow up...
Reaction doesn't just mean asking questions.
I found this Unwatchable. Non-stop questions and talking over dialogue. I heard "I'm confused" 3 times and bailed