Spartacus (2004) Reviews

• "What's important isn't our living or our dying but this new thing we've reached, however briefly. A world without slaves…"

  Nazi_Fighter_David2008-06-15

  The TV miniseries opens in Gaul 72 B.C. where the Romans put an end to Varinia's world making her a slave… Meanwhile Spartacus (Goran Visnjic) is free from the hell of the gold mines of Egypt to be trained as gladiator in the establishment of Lentulus Batiatus (Ian McNeice). Most of "Spartacus" contains many of the miniseries' best moments… The operation of the gladiatorial school and its training program is impressive and expressive; the apprentice gladiators are treated like special animals, tutored to perform in the arena as spectator-sport-killers, and occasionally rewarded with a woman in their cells… In this degrading manner Spartacus meets Varinia (Rhona Mitra) and it is his love for her and his hatred for his captors that brings about his decision to escape and lead revolt… Particularly effective is the scene in which Marcus Crassus (Angus Macfadyen) and his bored entourage visit the establishment and request for a private showing at its best of a pair of Thracians… Crassus wanted to see courage, passion, and above all finality… Spartacus is matched with the African Draba in a fight to the death, but Draba (maybe rather than live as a beast) chooses to die as a man, attacking his spectators… The scene summarizes the iniquity of the situation, the cruelty of bondage, and the subsequent uprising of gladiators in Capua becomes a triumph easy to understand… Director Robert Donrhelm did a decent job, carrying the grandeur and the decay of ancient Rome…

• Truer to the Howard Fast Novel - New take on great movie

  dstager-12004-07-18

  The original Spartacus is a superior movie as movies go. However, this version has much to offer and won't disappoint. The depiction of the Gladiator fights has several authentic touches such as the branding on the neck of the losing fighter. The brand was to insure the gladiator wasn't faking death! They still got the thumbs-down crowd signal wrong. In the movies, the thumbs-down means the crowd wants the loser to die. In reality the thumbs-down meant to let the loser live and to signal the victor to put down their sword. The death signal was a thumb stabbing motion toward the heart. I suppose they can be forgiven because few people watching the movie would know that and it would probably confuse most people to change it. They likewise included the signal of the losing fighter to plead for mercy, but got that wrong slightly too because the signal is one finger, not two. Still, they obviously tried to get things more accurate. The gladiator characters were quite accurate as were their weaponry and armor. Very good job there. They obviously paid attention to the discoveries made since "Gladiator" came out in 2000. But the gladitorial combat scenes are a very small part of this movie. This is primarily a war movie and the war is a fight for freedom by slaves against the Roman empire. The producers retained much of the social commentary from Howard Fast's book. It fact they hit you over the head with it in case you didn't read the book. Most important in this the Draba character, the black gladiator who fights Spartacus. His role, though small, is key to the story. Also pay attention to Agrippa, the Roman Senator who is constantly making Crassius' life miserable. He's not what he seems, so pay attention. Watching the mini-series on USA Network over two separate nights days apart is unbearable. But when commercials are edited out and you can watch the whole thing without so many interruptions, the narrative is quite fluid. This would make a nice DVD because the photography is good, the costumes detailed, the acting/casting good, and the story excellent. It is just not the same movie as the 1960 version. Don't expect a simple remake. The ending is different. Spartacus' fate is different. It's more like Howard Fast wrote it originally than what Hollywood made of it in 1960. The 1960 version is superb, but it's not the same as this movie. It's a similar but different story. I highly recommend this version along with the original.

• Marvellous epic version about Spartacus existence with exciting drama and overwhelming battles

  ma-cortes2008-03-18

  This is a new version about the true story of gladiator Spartacus (Goran Visnjic), formerly adapted by Kubrick in a famed masterpiece. At the beginning , the Thracian slave laboring in harsh rock, when he's purchased by obese Battiatus(Ian McNeice in the role of Peter Ustinov). Brought back to Capua in a gladiator's school, he knows corpulent gladiator named Draba(Henry Simmons in the role of Woody Strode) and Jewish slave named David(James Frain). He escapes and stirs up all gladiators and slaves in a revolt(73 B.C.) against the power of Rome . Meanwhile he falls in love with Varinia(Rhona Mitra, Jean Simmons's role). After various generals (Ben Cross) are vanquished , the rebellion is put down by Crassus(Angus McFadyen in the role of Laurence Olivier)who confronts with wily old senator Agrippa(Alan Bates, in a similar role to Charles Laughton as Gracchus)and Pompeius. Ultimately the rebels are defeated and crucified along Via Appia, in a sea of crosses silhouetted against a sunset. Spartacus actually died in battle and his body was not found. Spartacus history is imaginatively brought to life on impressive images with great production values and outstanding scenarios. Sword cross, drama, gladiators fights abound in this spellbinding adaptation on audacious Spartacus existence , one of the most rebels in the history. Magnificent climatic battle scenes , features by hundred real extras, adding computer generator soldiers. Although redundant to original movie , is a fitting description of Spartacus character, however is sometimes a shot for shot recreation but it doesn't insult the viewer's intelligence. It's all immensely epic, though predictable, as we have seen the former classic movie , but also its predictability is redeemed in part by the charismatic performances of excellent starring with flawless portrayals and all around with the best talent available. The film is dedicated to Howard Fast, novel's author, and Alan Bates, deceased during shooting. The film is well directed by Robert Dornhelm, a miniseries expert, about historic events and characters, such as Archduke Rudolf and Mary Vetsera, Anne Frank, War and Peace, Ten commandments and even Rudy Giuliani. The Spartacus life was previously adapted by Riccard Freda(1952) with Massimo Girotti and Ludmilla Tcherina, the prestigious version by Kubrick and following with 'The son of Spartacus'(1962) by Sergio Corbucci and with Steve Reeves. The movie will like to people enamored for historic deeds and epic feats.

• A worthy successor to the original

  stevec-352005-09-26

  The 1960 version of Spartacus remains one of the best historical epics ever made but this new film rates very well beside it. It is more historically accurate and much more faithful to the original Howard Fast novel on which both films were based. All the actors did a good job. Goran Visnvjic was an effective Spartacus and Rhona Mitra a feisty Varinia very much in keeping with the book. Alan Bates is at his best in the role of a senator playing a behind the scenes role in trying to stop Crassus in his drive for power over the Roman state. I was least impressed by Angas Macfadyen in the role of Crassus although it's still a competent performance. I guess that Lawrence Olivier who played Crassus in the 1960 movie is a hard act to follow. The battle scenes are competently performed but the armies look much smaller than the historical record said they were. I guess the original Spartacus had more money to spend on extras. A long standing wish of mine is for a Roman epic to get the armor right. The Roman soldier of this period wore short mail shirts and used oval shields. The segmented armor wasn't introduced until about a century later. I couldn't fault the history. Everything seems to be done right, from the first battle when the slaves abseiled down the cliffs of Vesuvius to attack the Roman camp to the splitting up of the slave army when Crixus and Spartacus had a falling out. The gladiator scenes are just as good as the original too. All in all, a great movie that even die-hard fans of the Kirk Douglas version should enjoy.

• Excellent Movie that is also true to history

  LMK87632004-11-04

  I have done quite a bit of research regarding Spartacus and the slave revolt he was part of in the century preceeding the birth of Jesus. This version of Spartacus - made in 2004 follows the academic history of Spartacus and the uprising to the letter. Some versions show Spartacus being crucified, which is not true. Spartacus died in his last battle with Marcus Crassus, which is how the 2004 version is shot. The 2004 version also shows the fact that Pompey, a popular Roman General called upon by the Roman Senate to help stop the slave revolt, took credit for defeating Spartacus when in fact it was Marcus Crassus who actually defeated Spartacus and his army. If there is one thing I would have liked added it would be some sort of trailer language that described the remaining years of Marcus Crassus as he was a main character in the movie but the movie sort of left him "hanging" in the end. In truth, Marcus Crassus never achieved the glory he desired for himself and eventually met a very horrible end when he battled the Persian Army years after the defeat of Spartacus. The Persian Army captured Marcus Crassus after defeating his army and to kill him, poured molten gold down his throat. He was then beheaded and his head sent to the King of Persia as a trophy. I think this was a fitting end for a man who was very vain, a glory seeker and who despised the idea of freedom for all men, except the rich Romans.