‘Gladiator’ Is Still Russell Crowe’s Best | The Rewatchables | The Ringer

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?! The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano, and Jason Concepcion defy the Roman Emperor by rewatching ‘Gladiator,’ starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.
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[@siouzsie]

You can’t imagine living in Rome when this came out. The sheer exuberance at the cinema. Cheering for Maximus and at a cinema a walk away from the Colosseum. Magical.

[@laurens4561]

were you there?

[@siouzsie]

@@laurens4561 Yes, I was living in Rome when the film was released and I lived 5 minutes from the Colosseo.

[@shaboogen]

Shea's completely incredulous look after Jason and Chris say Master and Commander is better is amazing.

[@puremercury]

It is better. L.A. Confidential is the best movie Russell ever was in, and Master and Commander is the best heroic role he ever did.

[@ARealityStorm]

It is definitely better, but everything they said about how Gladiator is somehow more satisfying and rewatchable is also true. This movie is a masterpiece.

[@steveelshoff3353]

Yep. It's a superior movie as is L.A. Confidential. Gladiator is overrated.

[@ericlytle2209]

@@puremercury Nice guys

[@Spacehog1981]

Madness! I love Master and Commander, but Gladiator is superior. L.A. Confidential does give it a run for its money, but it's a different slice of pie.

[@rodaxel7165]

" Are you not entertained? " Maximus 🔥

[@zachmcdowell2634]

My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengence, in this life or the next

[@jonastronaut2942]

Wazaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!

[@jonastronaut2942]

I am Sancho.

[@joemckim1183]

​@@jonastronaut2942My name is Paco.

[@SolidMikeP]

In rehab, someone, a meth addict introduced himself this way to a room full of 60 people…it was a highlight

[@ultimatesunrise]

Sir this is a Wendys, I just asked if you wanted to upsize to a combo...

[@shaggycan]

I remember the score of this film being almost John Williams level. When Zimmer goes full Wagner when they finally go to Rome I actually had a tear in my eye.

[@drixmcdrixerson]

Jim Humphries I love that you said this. Truly epic. I’ve always felt it was more Holst than Wagner. But I’m not exactly a student of that.

[@ARealityStorm]

Beyond Williams. The collaboration between Zimmer and Gerrard was absolutely incredible. God tier score.

[@ajcopple]

The shots of the wheat field, him opening his door to see his family, along with Zimmer's score, are amazingly impactful for me 😢. These guys disagree.

[@ssang187]

And I absolutely agree about Master and Commander. I remembering seeing that flick in the theaters. I was mesmerized. I've been saying it for years: one of the most overlooked, slept-on, underutilized, and under-viewed gems in cinematic history. Not even a single chick on screen the entire movie either, I mean literally, not one, not even for a nano-second; and here's the crazy part: it didn't even matter. Russell Crowe was straight masterful.

[@joemckim1183]

M&C is amazing but I have to put L.A. Confidential as probably #3.

[@votdfak]

and Peter Weir.

[@mphrdldn]

"Not even a single chick on screen the entire movie either." Do you mean there was no unnecessary love story. Or, the film didn't depend on a chick to hold the viewer's interest; Crowe was enough.

[@dbags317]

there was a chick

[@AndrewMK7]

Tom Hardy is the guy who’d probably do it best now, even then he’s a bit too pretty. Crowe was perfect.

[@julian_vision]

aak12345 crazy cuz i IMMEDIATELY thought tom hardy too

[@theOnyFUFU]

I can't see Tom Hardy doing this (but I see why you'd say that). I also think 2000 Crowe was better looking. I haven't seen Hardy in a role where he can capture all the nuances of charisma, stoicism, leadership and being a badass that Crowe does effortlessly (and did a lesser version of in other roles). On top of that, I don't think Hardy has been a movie (where you could see his face) that he had a lot of inspiring dialogue ("unleash hell" moments).

[@613and802]

I also wouldn't count out Cristian Bale just because he's incredible. Crowe is perfect though.

[@activelivingchallenger4298]

I don't think Hardy has played a character that was a charismatic leader of men. He seems to play the brooding lone wolf type more.

[@tyleru96]

Hardy has the physique for it, sure, but I think he's too short; he's only 5'9, whereas Crowe is 6'0. I also can't see Hardy as a commander of the Roman army. He's more of a rogue operator who does shit on his own, as opposed to a leader of men.

[@jayamo-addae415]

Bill, this is your best or one of your best rewatchables ever. The humor. The lack of self-importance. We need more with this team.

[@andrewfrasier4589]

This is one of the best rewatchable panels

[@mightysmudgeadventures2620]

Lex Luger was called The Narcissist when he started with WWE. And before he debuted, he was regularly referred to as Narcissus.

[@orrepgr2994]

this was probably the BEST KZbin video i have watched during Covid lockdown. Excellent

[@balusindiancuisine]

Master & Commander is absolutely epic but so underrated for some reason and rarely mentioned. I remember when I first watched it I had a pre-conceived notion of how good or not good I though it was going to be and it blew my expectations out of the water (no pun intended)

[@David-iv6je]

I love that movie and it's totally underrated. Love it much more than Gladiator. One of the underappreciated parts is the Paul Bettany role of Stephen Maturin, a parallel Charles Darwin. (I've read all the books. Not for everybody because too granular. But the movie distilled out the best of those books.)

[@rigsby1454]

Nice to see the love for MASTER AND COMMANDER

[@RiccoD8558]

STOP!! Russell Crowe did NOT win an Oscar for "A Beautiful Mind." That was the year Denzel won for "Training Day"

[@hithere327]

Thanks you! Also, he’s not Australian. New Zealander.

[@patrickfennell6372]

Training Day is not Denzel's best work. He has done at least ten better performances. Unfortunately the Academy seldom gets it right, especially during this PC period. Braveheart got a lot wrong, according to legend Wallace stood 6'5" tall.

[@rigsby1454]

@@patrickfennell6372 Denzel won for Training Day because he should have won before. It was the classic 'make up' Oscar

[@iamgoated8158]

The movie did win an Oscar for best picture tho

[@kayelle8005]

@@rigsby1454 and Gladiator was the make up Oscar for The Insider

[@johnplatt8565]

Gladiator was a fine all round performance by Russell Crowe, although I thought that he gave an outstanding acting tour de force as' Lucky Jack ' in Master And Commander The Far Side Of The World.

[@slybady]

I love The Ringer... Bill is the GOAT!

[@holymackenaw]

Thanks for mentioning Master&Commander. Love both movies. Crowe was my favorite actor of the 2000s. I like how he is strong but not looking like a Spartan in 300.

[@osasunaenjoyer]

Having watched Master and Commander and Gladiator on back-to-back nights I can only say that I 100% agree on M&C being a better movie but Gladiator being (way) more rewatchable

[@puremercury]

Russell was born in New Zealand, moved to Australia.

[@iknown0thing]

'Master and Commander, the far side of the world' is one of my favorite movies of all time. It came out at an important period in my life. When I was a teenager my mom abruptly moved my sisters and me to Columbus, Ohio after being raised in NYC. 2003-2004 I was sort of depressed, los contact with most friends and new school and all that. NYC you have the liberty of going out walking everywhere in Columbus I felt imprisoned, couldn't go anywhere without a car. I lived with my uncle who had a "fixed" cable box and PPV was showing Master and Commander and I was blown away. Can't count how many times I watched it. I can go on for hours but back then my favorite section was when Paul Bettany was injured and they finally landed in the Galapagos and discovering those plants and animals. I remember thinking him as Darwin having so much fun and then his integrity as a person leaving the discovered species behind to tell Russell Crowe of the enemy ship on the other side of the island. Teaches honor and humility. One more thing, the ship mates, those kids. So many lessons learned. Another movie of that time I hold dear again, due to that time in my life is "Sideways" with Paul Giamatti. Idk how that cable box didn't burn with me PPVing those two movies lol. PS. I had already seen Gladiator when it came out years prior and we discussed it in class with my global history teacher. All the best, love your podcast.

[@mphrdldn]

It was nice to read how seeing Master and Commander helped you override missing NYC.

[@mphrdldn]

The "Has anyone ever served in the army?" scene reminded me of roulette scene in The Deerhunter when DeNiro tells Christopher Walken there is a way out of certain death.

[@brentulstad3275]

It's now April 2023 and I believe there has just recently been a report of a "Gladiator sequel" with Denzel Washington.

[@michaelsonsarmiento5943]

Gladiator was not based on historical fact. Marcus Aurelius was the one who appointed Commodus as the next emperor of Rome just because he was his son.

[@thecommish80]

Gladiator was great in the moment it came out but lost a little something over the years. LA Confidential and Master and Commander are his best of that era.

[@Bryan8329]

and The Insider

[@drixmcdrixerson]

He punches a hole behind his shoulder blade and hoped he bleed out enough to defeat him. I never considered there might be poison, but that’s really likely. The real Commodus in history supposedly used to fight gladiators in the arena, but would give them wooden swords. He killed a few, causing the gladiators to plot against him since there was no honor in it. They killed him in a really terrible but deserved way.

[@David-iv6je]

Feyd Ruatha Harkonnen in Dune.

[@TheWaynos73]

I think the most underrated performance in this movie is David Hemmings as the Coliseum MC. That guy is the ultimate hype man.

[@donna25871]

The Insider is my favourite Russell Crowe performance - going toe to toe with Al Pacino.

[@UFBear15]

The score of this movie not only matches the film, but it actually upstages it.. which is straight up incredible to really think about

[@c.jarmstrong3111]

The Romans weren't fighting in Germany, they were fighting Germanic tribes. The term Germanic, in this context, simply means the indigenous peoples of central Europe who spoke iterations of ancient German. The late Roman Empire was constantly defending it's northern and north eastern borders from these Germanic folk

[@gf4670]

The battle at the beginning was supposed to be against the Marcomanni, who lived mostly in Bohemia which was part of the Roman geographic concept of Germania -- basically everything north of the Danube between the Rhine and the Vistula. So no, they weren't fighting in the modern state of Germany but they were fighting within a territory the Romans would have known as Germany. And no, they were not the indigenous peoples of Central Europe; Celts inhabited the region beforehand -- it was sort where Celtic culture originated at the end of the Bronze Age -- but were gradually being pushed by Elbe Germanic speakers who were offshoots of the Jastorf Culture to the north along the Baltic around the same time the Romans started pushing from the south and west.

[@c.jarmstrong3111]

@@gf4670 I have mad respect for your superior historical knowledge

[@blakeharris58]

So they were fighting the Austria-Hungarian army?

[@c.jarmstrong3111]

@@blakeharris58 we are talking a good deal earlier in history than the Austria-Hungarian empire

[@blakeharris58]

@@c.jarmstrong3111 I know, I know. Trying to be silly.

[@doktarr]

You may consider this movie peak Connie Nielsen, however, allow me to play... Devil's Advocate.

[@ajsandhu7328]

you absolutely nailed it. ironically also an incest angle. typecast I guess.

[@Bryan8329]

It's either Basic or Demonlover for me

[@mackenziestewart7318]

Couldn't even get through this podcast, had to turn gladiator on. Thanks fellas

[@williamsierra1221]

Russell did not win back to back Oscars. He lost to Denzel in Training Day in 01.

[@Bryan8329]

Should have won for The Insider

[@devinleisinger4855]

Nick cave wits the proposition Underrated western

[@kaandimos]

LEx Luger debuted in WWE as Narcisus in like 1992

[@JudgeDredd_]

Aaron Cantrell favorite wrestler. 2nd favorite hacksaw Jim Duggan

[@Surtssword]

Thinking about Crowe in an Australian bar is shades of 'Russel Crowe 's fightin' around the world'

[@ginobenatti7830]

15 seconds in and I want to say I think its the 1st movie that the trailer said "only in theaters" and I thought it would never be released to dvd.

[@vetoland92]

Finally! I've waited almost a week for this to be uploaded lol.

[@diogocosta1305]

This movie just has so many classic scenes, classic lines and classic performances, it's great... Btw when they were saying who their winner of the movie was and Bill, Chris and Jason all said Russell Crowe but Shea said Joaquin Phoenix, then Bill compared to the year Karl Malone, the better comparison imo would have been the year LeBron almost won unanimous MVP but there was one guy who voted for Carmelo

[@Reefism]

My 1st Tony Scott film was Beverly Hills Cop 2!

[@clucha1024]

One of the BEST Rewatchables!

[@JamesKlass79]

Master and Commander was great. But Gladiator is my favorite. M &C on surround sound is crazy

[@TimAldiss]

Scott has a theme of patricide. The scene when Commodus kills Caesar is almost identical to the scene when Roy Batty kills Tyrell in Bladerunner

[@noirtobul91]

Munich to Barcelona is only three days on bike according to google maps

[@c.jarmstrong3111]

I love Shea's passion

[@nikolaradic84]

I've been waiting for this my whole life I think... Best movie of all time finally on rewatchables

[@isasooner5]

Gladiator is good, buy nowhere close to the best movie of all-time

[@hood6089]

@@isasooner5 pretty close tbh

[@bacardibum]

@@hood6089 it's about 120 on the list of greatest movies.

[@hood6089]

@@bacardibum damn.. I would have it top 30 dawg

[@bacardibum]

@@hood6089 citizen kane, vertigo, blowup, jaws, rear window, godfather, godfather part 2, taxi driver, raging bull, goodfellas, wizard of oz, casablanca, bob le flambeur, 8.5, star wars, sunset boulevard, the treasure of the sierra madre. those are just off the top of my head and gladiator isn't close to any of those.

[@puremercury]

Oliver Reed used to drink sailors under the table and arm wrestle bodybuilders and shit. He was a wild man.

[@siddharthsinghtanwar2043]

I just listened to the podcast like a day ago thinking it probably isn't coming on youtube otherwise it would already be here. And now you go ahead and release it.

[@MasterLive013]

I think maybe they do it on purpose to try to double dip (I understand that editing the video takes time, I'm not unreasonable), not sure. I guess I will wait a week for the Crimson Tide video.

[@tsung1029]

So this is the second movie in a row that featured the Roman Coliseum. How about doing the Bruce Lee classic "The Way of the Dragon" next.

[@roofchees9]

Never thought the dagger was poisoned. He stabbed Maximus in the back, puncturing his lung. Maximus developed a tension pneumothorax coupled with blood loss and died.

[@joncoxwellart]

I remember M&C came out right after the wake of the first Pirates movie. I think that's why it's so slept on. People passed over the better film because it was just "another ship movie" after Jack Sparrow hit the scene... Captain, Jack Sparrow.

[@thereandbackagainhv]

Also it came out like a month before Return of the King - honestly studios should've known better

[@joncoxwellart]

@@thereandbackagainhv Ahh yeah, good point.

[@StephenBurns2413]

Master and Commander is awesome.

[@johnv3623]

Another great 'that guy' from this movie is Sven ole Thorsen as Tigris of Gaul (the guy who fights Crowe with the tigers) - classic action movie heavy who is buddies with Schwarzenneger and has starred in most of his movies (The guy with the hammer in Conan, the 'steroids make you deaf' guard in running man, etc).

[@UncleShula]

I feel like from today's actors only Tom Hardy could do this type of work. But Crowe was phenomenal!

[@randysandberg5615]

Yup. My favorite movie of all time, next to Munich.

[@iknown0thing]

Funny, I watched this less than a month ago with someone. Idk how I forgot Craig was in it, Eric Bana was the man he's a good actor I don't see much of him anymore.

[@kayelle8005]

This podcast is the only reason I have Spotify. Just listened to this episode today on Spotify. Watching this because the conversation was so entertaining. Interesting to see Shea after hearing him on Fake Doctors Real Friends. Now going tot he comments to see how many New Zealander’s have come to claim Russell.

[@75aces97]

Glad to see 2 out of 4 like Master & Commander better. It was my first thought when I saw the thumbnail caption. 😁

[@movietalker7388]

Shea over under of Omar Epps mentions per show is 2.5 I always enjoy seeing Shea on the show he is great

[@puremercury]

What is he talking about, exactly?

[@AjaxNixon]

The Commodus and Maximus dynamic works so well I think because people see themselves in both characters. Like we aspire to be like Maximus but if we're honest with ourselves we are often a Commodus. Also Commodus is nuerotic, self-obsessed and even viciously introspective, which seems more relatable to us, even if he hate him, whereas Maximus doesn't even seem like he can ever be bothered to think about himself or own a mirror, he is just always a man on a mission. The idea of Maximus on a therapist's sofa is absurd, and that may be 'toxic' but it's true while it's easy to imagine Commodus paying someone to talk to for an hour a day about his problems.

[@nachonachoman]

Great comment

[@15awesomehighfive]

Crowe is a kiwi!

[@datguitarplayer1656]

Yuuup. He doesn't exactly correct most of his interviewers but he is not Australian.

[@Ranblv]

The commanding respect in jail was done great in "The last castle" by redford.

[@MrMarclax]

I don't know, I really like The Nice Guys

[@liammurtagh7039]

First dvd that I ever saw. Blew my mind

[@kwameoluwasomi1518]

Damn, I might have to watch ‘Master and Commander’ 🤔

[@mettelhed]

I think in the current generation, there are a couple of actors who could do it. Tom Hardy, for instance. Matching Crowe's performance is another matter altogether

[@Reefism]

When I was a kid my favorite Ridley Scott film was Legend!

[@datguitarplayer1656]

What about Batman Begins era Christian Bale? When he was big, but with mass and not with chiseled defined muscles. Just a hunk of muscle. He has the acting chops, I think his size plays well. The only thing is he can't pull of anyone mistaking him for a "Spaniard".

[@blakeharris58]

Benicio del Toro earned the Oscar for Traffic. The take that Phoenix should have won is pure Prisoner of the Moment/Hindsight.

[@75aces97]

I go with hindsight. Phoenix has given some great performances over the years, but this wasn't one of them.

[@Bryan8329]

In my eyes he earned it in that scene at the very end.

[@blakeharris58]

@@75aces97 yeah this was a bit short of Walk the Line and Joker. Clearly an excellent actor overall.

[@activelivingchallenger4298]

The pedophilia thing was kinda random, i also never thought of it like that either.

[@nobody-qi2yf]

Bruh when people try to point out historical inaccuracies in 300 it makes my blood boil. Its A Fucking Comic Book!

[@ensleyhatfield3397]

L.A. Confidential is the most underrated movie ever. It helped kick off Crowe’s superstar run in America

[@tre3961]

I love master and commander so so so much

[@peterosesbooky]

Tony Scott did True Romance. That’s the tie breaker

[@swordshaw501]

He's a new Zealander from Australia

[@tonypi4322]

IMHO Love Gladiator but LA Confidential is Crowe’s best film

[@TheNerdForAllSeasons]

The only thing dumber than Shea hating on Master and Commander is Shea's mustache.

[@esterhudson5104]

Oh c’Mon!!! It’s Master and Commander all the way!!

[@15awesomehighfive]

I read the Nick Cave treatment. So weird but interestingly good.

[@broaddusmarines]

The Insider is Russell Crowe’s greatest acting, followed by L.A. Confidential. Gladiator is Russell’s most entertaining movie though. Benicio deserved the Oscar that year. His performance was outstanding.

[@Bryan8329]

Kind of what happened this year with Brad Pitt winning for OUATIH but giving a better performance in Ad Astra. He was far more entertaining in one but more interesting in the other.

[@kayelle8005]

Yes it’s amazing that of those three performances that he got the Oscar for Gladiator.

[@augerrusty]

Kirk Douglas could have played Maximus and been just as good

[@dub_dub1504]

Sorry for being soooo late on this. TBF, Kirk Douglas in his prime pulls off most roles he is that good of an actor.

[@greedoshot2nd]

Without looking at every comment to see if anyone else asked the same question, but I'm quite surprised that no one mentions the Directors Cut of this film. Directors versions of other films are mentioned and/or compared to the original...such as Prince of Theives and The Town, but nothing for Gladiator, what gives?!?!

[@GymAndSun]

Jason read my mind on Kingdom of Heaven DC

[@patjialns-katjavivi4686]

The dagger stab: I believe it was directed at the spleen. Supposedly leads to slow exsanguination.

[@blakeharris58]

Marlon Brando, Charlton Heston and Daniel Day-Lewis could have done this in their respective primes.

[@puremercury]

Jeff Bridges was great in The Contender, but that movie is BAAAAAD.

[@toneslice989]

You guys missed Gerald Butler. He could have pulled it off. Maybe too close to King Leonidas?

[@kayelle8005]

Mel Gibson or Chris Hemsworth just possibly. Superb performance from Russell. He really owned it.

[@senorchaos]

Jason loses all credibility in my books when he states Hans Zimmer apex mountain. haha! Inception came out in 2010, to name but one. Other than that, loved the podcast!

[@ScottSullivanTV]

0:23 "It's not on TV enough." Wait... do people still watch movies on TV? Why would anyone want to do that? (Commercials, censorship, cropped aspect ratio, lesser quality, etc.)

[@bradleyashworth9666]

You guys are missing out on Willem Dafoe in Shadow of the Vampire. My favourite Dafoe performance and he's my vote for Best Supporting Actor that year. Del Toro and Phoenix are terrific too though

[@puremercury]

Incredible performance!

[@rolandbruno686]

100% on Kingdom of Heaven Director's Cut. Completely different movie. Immensely better.

[@datguitarplayer1656]

Yuuuuup. Totally agree with you

[@jeremymuir4332]

My most rewatched scene is easily the end battle against Commodus; most emotionally charged for the audience and in spite of losing everything at the hands of this evil, troubled and depraved man Maximus's muscle memory and battle tested mastery of fear allows him to put the terror down. "There was a dream that was Rome"

[@j_cody]

Be awesome if you could have a draft of top 5 best actors per decade

[@mjm5081]

Is the Bueller ep gonna have a video?!

[@KDOGGBOI]

Master and Commander had the advantage of pulling from the entire series of books. Which is why it was such a successful adaptation. I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two. Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany are perfect as Jack Aubrey and Dr Maturin, respectively. And it is also an excellent rewatchable. But imho I don’t think that it’s better than Gladiator.

[@n4859]

As a Crowe head I hope he can course correct after Nuremberg and get one last Oscar nom

[@AgeOfGiants]

Kingdom of Heaven Directors cut is legitimate. Awesome movie!

[@marcozuleta133]

Tom Hardy would be an amazing Maximus if this movie was remade today!

[@rossl5908]

Young Kirk Douglas could’ve done this role as an obvious choice. More recent I would say Mark Strong or maybe Fassbender

[@laxmannate07]

Master and Commander is one of the best movie ever made