Marcus Aurelius was probably Romes greatest emperor. He was very insightful and foreword thinking for the time. He had a servant follow him around whose only job was to whisper into his ear “You are just a man” to remind him not to get carried away with power. He wrote a book called “Meditations” about how to live a full and just life. The book is still in print and it’s message still works today 2000 years later.

FUN FACTS: the real life Lucilla(the sister) really did attempt to assassinate Commodus with the help of a few senators but they failed. Lucilla & the other conspirators were exiled, then excuted shortly after. The real life Commodus was strangled to death while taking a bath

Joaquin Pheonix was amazing. Made you really hate Commodus. The multi-layer character who is psychotic to a broken soul yearning to be loved, by his family and by the empire. ------ AS Jyn rightfully pointed out, his best wirtue was ambition, but that led to him persuing success not matter what the cost, which is what made him so dangerous. Great character protrayal. ----- You ladies need to check out Joaquin Pheonix in "Joker" his portryal in that movie was next level.

Ryl, I know you wanted Maximus to live on, but self-sacrifice takes "Gladiator" to the next level. ---- All of Maximus' friends dies trying to get him back to his army. Luccilla almost died, Senator Bracus was imprisioned all to feed the ambition of Commodus. ------ Most movies we see today have a nice happy ending, but the bitter sweet ending of this movie takes "Gladiator" to the top tier level of story telling. --------- for sure movie with lead character self-sacrifice are the ones that resonate with me the longest. ------- I hope that can give you some comfort and leave you to appricate the script even more.

While the main story of this movie is fictionalized both Emperors, Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, are historical figures. Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the "Emperor Philosopher", prominent exponent of the philosophy of stoicism (TLDR strength in the face of adversities). The character of Maximus is the embodiment of the emperor's personal reflexions in a "diary" that was later called "meditations" IRL Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the last of the "good emperors" during the height of Rome's power and splendor. He was the first Emperor that passed the title to a son instead of a trusted older relative. His son Commodus was apparently very hedonistic, more interested in roleplaying as a gladiator and cosplaying as Hercules: his rule was short, bloody and very taxing on the imperial treasury and he ended up being killed, in a bath, by his wrestling partner the slave Narcissus. Apparently part of a wider conspiracy to remove him from power.

I love Djimon Hounsou's character, he's got great chemistry with Russel Crowe and he's like the ordinary guy you really hope will make it back to his family.

The Kingdom of Heaven is your another "must watch" movie.

Ohh ladys Joaquin Phoenix is a brilliant actor. He was a bad guy in this one but this movie would have not been so good without him. Wish you the best for both of you and thank you for sharing this. ❤️

Hey Jyn and Ryl, you ladies question the relationship of Lucilla and Maximus thoughout the movie until almost the end. ------ What you have to bear in mind is the fact they might have been in a relationship when they were younger since maximus as a general stayed by Marcus Aurlius' side so much as Rome's greatest general. ----- However, since Lucilla is essentially royality and Maximus is a commoner who happens to be a great warrior, they can never be together. ------- The Class divide is too great for Lucilla to marry Maximus. ----Eventually they would have to go their separate ways and marry within their own class and have families. ----- So this context lets you understand that they care for each other but could never be together. ----- The ultimate instance of unfulfilled love.

I watch all Gladiator reactions and this was a good one, thanks

I think the Emperor may have saved Maximus and his family if he’d made a public declaration beforehand what his succession should look like. Maximus would have at least been able to provide protection for his family while he served as interim ruler

I used to work with a bloke who was one of the main extras in the initial battle scene (as a roman centurion). A bonkers chap with worked as a private detective on the side (including TV appearances) and who once persuaded me to go to a remote nightclub where the only way in was to wear some far-too-small shoes of his.

The reason they killed Maximus' family, was so that his wife and son could not try to come back at Commodus with a vendetta ..... In other words, so there would be no payback. This was pretty much standard operating procedure for Emperors back in the day. When they ascended to power, most would have their political and ideological enemies and their families killed.

Commodus felt he had to fight Max in front of people to make him look good. Ego.

The YT auto-subtitles are HILARIOUSLY off ... "powers" turns into "pause" ... and lots more gems.

Great reaction and I like how you both analyzed and consumed this movie, I get island vibes like Ocho Rios or Spur Tree. Respect and look forward to more content

That’s just the kind of story it is…called a “Tragedy” 😢 He got what he wanted. To go home. And Commodus got what he deserved. Left dead in the dust with no one to even bother with his body. Great reaction.

16:26 In those times when they killed an important man they often killed his family as well, to make sure his family didn't seek revenge years later. If Maximus is executed his son could become a problem when he grows up, for example. It was safer for the killers to end the problem before it even exists.

03:10 They used war dogs, sometimes wearing their own armor, trained to harass horses & break up enemy formations...imagine mad charging Rottweilers covered w armor & spikes!

I haven’t seen you two on KZfaq in months. But it is nice to see you again.

My favourite childhood movie😍Enjoyed ur reaction

Great reaction.... hit all the important moments....

Top notch reaction as usual. I personally found the spotty intertwined closed captioning entertaining, but I couldn't help thinking it might be a bit confusing to those who genuinely need it.

Great Reaction Ladies !!! Keep it Up

it's the curse of wealth and power 1st generation grew up poor but worked hard to build something and to leave it to the next generation who don't have it so hard but as the generations progress the new ones forget what it is to struggle to be hungry and thats what happened to caesar's son in this story he never had to live and struggle

Fights in the arenas weren't meant to be fair, they were meant to be entertaining. Sometimes the were "recreations" of famous battles, or fictionalised battles, (think Iron Man V Superman), with the gladiators playing the parts. The Coloseum could be flooded and mock naval battles fought. That's the problem with historical dramas you need to have an idea of the time to know what is typical behaviour. Rome also had a huge slave population. An old classic is Spartacus which is great.

It wasn't just a wound ... it was POISON.

19:55 maggots each dead flesh and avoid living flesh. This is an old medical remedy that is being used even today. That is what the Numidian guy was doing

Enjoyed the reactions Ladys😊👍✌️

Oliver Reed who played the gladiator owner passed away during production. A great actor many great movies. An actor in that position he sure is not getting any attention here for his role. Oliver Reed movie really need to see is Tommy. Also starring Ann-Margret. 1975 Rock Musical starring Rodger Daltrey and Elton John, yes it's a British production. Yes as soon as you can afford it , get yourselves some stereo headphones then you can really enjoy the production to the fullest extent . Besides you two are very very in tune with what you're watching.

To answer your question of how you would avoid killing your own men, the answer is that movies depict ancient and medieval warfare very differently from the reality. They depict two mobs clashing into each other and mixing all up for one on one combat. But the overwhelming majority of civilizations fought using formations, if you had enemies amongst you, it was a sign that you lost. The whole point of your formation is to form a solid wall of men that the enemy can’t penetrate. They close distance and stab, slash, and poke at each other is relatively even lines. Movies really botch the imitation of ancient and medieval warfare and make it look so much more silly than it actually was.

Hi! -Dogs were bred in Rome for war purposes. They even had the name "Roman War Dogs", as far as I know. This was probably not a regular doggo who's jumping into battle. That was probably a purpose bred war dog. But I don't know, how that dog race looked like. Maybe I should google it. -Rome was a republic for many centuries before it became an empire with an Emperor (Caesar) at the top. Basically a monarchy. The Emperor in the movie doesn't want Maximus to become a new Emperor. He's giving him a high military rank that is at the same time a high political rank (Protector of Rome) and Maximus was given the task by the Emperor, to turn Rome into a Republic again to give more power to the people again. That was, what the Emperor said to him at the beginning...and that was basically, what the whole movie was about.

Hello J & R, my favorite part of the movie is the chant of the Germans before the battle was lifted from the movie " Zulu (1964). The chant is in an entirely different language than German. The filmmakers thought that we were so ignorant and dumb that they could get away with that shenanigan. Such a disgraceful way to deliver Oliver Reed's final movie performance.

I was watching the battle scene being filmed I was invited as a guest with my football club at time. The battle scene at beginning was filmed Aldershot UK

Good reaction guys thanks 🙂

Subscribed for gladiator ladies!

It's a happy ending! haha, it's funny how similar Gladiator is to Braveheart yet so different. These stories can be told so many different ways.

It crazy that Roman plumbing was so good that they would flood the floor and recreate naval battles

I love the subtitle algorithm. And I quote: " I doubt the ppl eat aswell as you do crackers". 😅

Great Girls. 👍first time here. Good reactions. Ending was little sad but good because that's all maximus wanted. Save Rome and the people and go home to his family. Joaquin as comodus is an excellent actor. Watch the joker.

Ladies that old man at the beginning was supposed to be Marcus Aurelius one of the greatest minds of all time for his philosophy

Great reaction and sensibility !

Nice one, Ladies! Such a sad ending, but such a good story.

Generally, you kill the family for 2 reasons: 1. As a warning for treachery - to create fear 2. So the son doesn't avenge the father.

Let me just say that I1m here because of the Last of Us. You'r reactions were so real and so raw that I became a subscriber and I'm also getting around to be a patreon. Now, THIS, is my favorite movie ever. Been so long since I last watched it, and the last time was with my grandpa, who died 3 years ago. I just couldn't bring myself to watch it again on my own, and I'm so grateful that you guys where there even in a screen, just to keep me company. I'm definetly supporting you both, and I just wanted to say to keep at it. You may not know how many people you're helping, but ya'll definetly are. Thank you for this.

Hey Jyn and Ryl, The gladiator games were the sport of the day. ------- You have to remember it was a brutal world. Most people didn't life past the age of 30. Death was a daily occurrence, so to see warriors die in an epic almost superhero way was the theater of the age for the Roman Empire. ------- Sort of like watching an "Avengers" movie.

7:17 🤨 Rome was founded as a Kingdom. Then became a Republic. Then an Empire.

Really enjoyed your reaction and discussion. Thank you. This movie was nominated for 12 Oscars and won 5 including Best Picture, Best Actor to Russell Crowe. Commodus was nominated for Best Supporting Actor but didn't win. I think he should have won. He brought evil to a new high.

Please check out Last Samurai next!

Nice job ladies . . .

Amazing movie

This movie reminds me of the series Underworld (2003).

great film,emotions,brave of the ancient roma,Italia

i watch, and like you two because your reactions, and commentaries are bright, and spot on. so enjoyable. thank you, and please don't change. thank you!

Good job !

Marcus Aurelius. Rome’s greatest emperor and philosopher.

I'm loving your movie choices recently. Can I make a suggestion? "Crash" (from 2004). It's so powerful (in my opinion, of course).. It won the Oscars for best picture, I think

Check out The Revenant. It's an incredible true story.

300!es una muy buena película y tendrán muchas visitas !saludos y muy buenas vibras desde la distancia.

28:00 a man's skull, no. A boys. I'm totally in love with the lady on the right

This is definitely in the top ten modern movies and it's kind of based on actual history. They just used all the most popular ancient names and stuffed them into the script

27:47 Commodus and his sister Lucile’s are not together. She is also the older sibling and probably was a mother figure to him. But he has an Oedipal fixation on her.

25:00 As a SOLDIER Maximus killed because he HAD TO ... but gladiators kill FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF THE MASSES ... who do not understand what it does to the man swinging the sword. *Bread and games* - _panem et circensis_ - are what keep "the masses" from rebelling and it doesnt matter how bloody those games are, because "the masses" are DUMB and guided by THE EMOTIONS OF THE INSTANT. *_It is still the same ... except the games are slightly less bloody now and it happens in a little black box in your living room._*

The story is fictional but commodus did fight in the arena, it’s said that the other gladiators had blunt swords,but still he won. So he was pretty good. And he was really not a good person

Y'all need to react to The Last Samurai it's awesome a lot of reactors have reacted to this movie it's with Tom Cruise

Not yet...not yet...

The pony express used to ride horse like that andany time the exhaustion kills the horse or maims them for life.

Hello J. & R., if you are interested in things ancient roman, then maybe you will enjoy " The Last Legion (2007) ". It has some fun built into it.

Did they not teach you about the gladiators at school? Or ancient rome?

Disturbing that the brother wanted to sleep with his sister. Great reaction girls. Jyn is gorgeous and sexy rolled up into one. ❤

Why haven't you two watched "the ghost and the darkness" yet?

great reaction i really enjoyed this one

Hey Ladies you doubt the intension of Lucilla at the start of the moive. -------- You have to understand she is a high born woman with no recognized power, however, she welds her power through persuasion, influence, cunning and manipulation. ------- So yes she is dangerous but she is also has a moral center as it extends to the glory of the Roman empire. ----- This is why Marcus Aurelius wished she was born a man so he could make her Emperor. ------- She possesses all the traits of an amazing lead because she was forced to develop them. ------- Commodus on the other hand expected to be hand the power of an Empire so he never learned the leesons to become a great leader such as Maximus. --------- This is such amazing writing in a movie, which is why it's such a legendary movie. Geat reaction.

C'mon ladies, don't do that to yourselves. Movies have stereo sound, yet you are both wearing a single air pod in your ear. You lose so much of the atmosphere and drama doing so.

You ladies are beautiful and I love your accents

Aliens vs Predator???

The statue was not the Emperor, it was the statue of Zeus.

The 1960 version of Spartacus is another epic tale of the gladiator revolt against their Roman masters. Well worth checking out. (Can't comment on the recentish tv series as I've never watched it). 👍

No one appreciates a good suckle as much as Proximo.

A few centuries later, Germans conquering the Roman Empire: Roma victor this!

I will challenge you to a next movie. It is called SISU. It is a Finnish war movie. You will not be disappointed. And it has a happy ending 😊

Ladies I have to disagree, in a war someone is wrong! Someone started it.

Great reaction to one of my favorite movies. And while it’s sad for the viewer that Maximus dies, it really was what he wanted. There was nothing left for him here, and he wanted nothing more than to be with his family again.

Oliver reed last film...

Can see many genesis in this film but first everything any politician does falls on the phrase win the people.why Comodias fights Maximus is winning g the people if he unjustly kill maximus then he loses the people. But back to origins Knights games, and I have to goto work

Antibiotics I wouldn't use Maggots for antibiotics.

The interesting thing that is still said today but proved wrong, and we can see in the eastern Roman empire it's pronounced Keiser not Caesar

also movie is loosely based on events in roman Emperor accept i remember that Commodus was killed in the bathroom

Check out the movie '300' if you haven't already 😊

You gotta tell us at the end if you enjoyed it or not and what you enjoyed if so…!!! 🙁🙄

EMPEROR: "How can I reward Rome's greatest general?" MAXIMUS: "Let me go home?" Gets me every time.

You guys need some Red Bull

They always killed the family because they feared revenge.

hello i'm from brazil...would love to see your reaction to the movie cinderella man (2005) with russel crowe...it's a touching movie, just like rocky...based on a true story...sure will have to use many tissues... thank you very much

you are 2 pretty smart black girls! you should react to more "complicated content" i suggest Game of Thrones!!!! it is the best show ever!

Maybe later you have said it. But those army battles. Those were free men & women, fighting against Rome. To keep free & be free. They died for it. Just like y'all Africans. Died for freedom. And still dying. Why we never hear of the brave men & women from there too? Freedom is all we have. (Braveheart ex.). Why do we do this to each other? When all of Mother Earth, belongs to us all. Even the snail, slowly crossing. We are all one. And important.

Girls please react to (Troy - 2004) with Brad Pitt.

Please guys continue your reaction to the hobbit trilogy, please, please, pretty pleaseee

You beautiful women should watch Glory it has Denzel and Morgan in it

Plz do Baahubali Hero Actor Prabhas Saaho movie reaction.