Gladiator, Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic historical drama film, has been widely regarded as one of the decade’s finest works of cinema and one of the best historical dramas ever created. The film’s tale is powerful, moving, and compelling due to how it interweaves themes of personal retribution with political intrigue.
In addition, the movie revived interest in entertainment based on ancient Greek, Roman, and other global cultures after falling out of favor during the 1960s. So then, it should come as no surprise that Gladiator won many awards, including best picture and best actor for Russell Crowe, at the 73rd Academy Awards.
Since then, many films, with varied degrees of success, have tried to copy Gladiator‘s themes and tone. The movies listed below, some of which came before Gladiator and others after it, are great fun and worth checking out as an alternative.
10. Rob Roy (1995)
Directed by Michael Caton-Jones and based on the life of Robert Roy MacGregor, a Scottish bandit and folk hero, Rob Roy is a 1995 historical drama film that takes place in the stunning landscapes of 18th-century Scotland. Rob Roy, played by Neeson, is a chief, a devoted spouse, and an honorable guy who finds himself at odds with the upper class because of this. When he borrows money from the Marquis of Montrose (John Hurt) to better his clan’s living conditions, the money is stolen, and he cannot repay the loan.
Tim Roth steals the show as the film’s antagonist, the ambitious, nasty, and flamboyant aristocrat Archibald Cunningham. Roth’s performance was deemed worthy of an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Jessica Lange portrays the strong-willed Mary MacGregor, Rob Roy’s wife. She has been through a lot but has remained a pillar of strength and dignity, and her love for Rob has never faltered. Beautiful visuals and powerful acting set this film apart.
9. Robin Hood (2010)
Robin Hood, an action picture released in 2010, is based on the legend of Robin Hood and features Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott again working together. It retells the classic tale of Robin Hood, the archer and anti-oppression fighter from the English tradition who serves in King Richard the Lionheart’s army. Following the king’s death, Robin leaves for Nottingham, a city wracked by the corruption of a dictatorial sheriff and punishing taxation. There, he meets Lady Marian, a vivacious widow played by Cate Blanchett, who is dubious of the forest-born crusader’s identity and goals.
To save the village and win the heart of Lady Marian, Robin forms a band of mercenaries whose ruthlessness is equaled only by their hunger for blood. The film takes a fresh perspective on the Robin Hood myth by exploring the hero’s early years, when he was still trying to establish his legitimacy as a leader among the outlaws. Critics were divided on the film, although audiences who enjoyed Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe’s earlier collaboration in Gladiator also enjoyed this one.
8. Agora (2009)
Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar’s 2009 historical drama Agora received widespread critical acclaim. The film follows the life of Hypatia (Rachel Weisz), an accomplished philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician who became a symbol of knowledge and reason during religious and societal turmoil in fourth-century Roman Egypt. The film examines the struggles for dominance between early Christians and Pagans and functions as a political drama as much as a personal one.
Hypatia is a guiding light of reason and scientific investigation, working to keep the ancient world’s knowledge alive in a time of religious strife. Weisz depicts an innovative lady who is sadly hampered by her period’s social standards and political instability. On its opening day, October 9th, 2009, Agora broke all box office records in Spain. As well as seven Goya Awards in Spain, including Best Original Screenplay, the film also won the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Feature Film Prize at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
7. Centurion (2010)
Written and directed by Neil Marshall, Centurion is a British historical action-war film that delves into the mysterious disappearance of the Ninth Legion of the Roman Empire in Caledonia about the year 200 AD. The film’s main protagonists are Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, and Olga Kurylenko. The story follows Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender), a Roman centurion who is the lone survivor of a Pictish attack on a frontier fort of the Roman Empire.
General Virilus (Dominic West) and the famed Ninth Legion are ambushed and captured just as he is about to lead them against the Picts. Quintus and his last few soldiers must engage in a desperate tale of survival to save their general from the merciless Pictish pursuit. The primary adversary is Etain (Olga Kurylenko), a Pictish tracker with hatred against the Romans. She is ruthless in battle, and her wild, uncontrolled strength starkly contrasts the disciplined Roman army.
6. Troy (2004)
The 2004 epic drama Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petersen, gets to the meat of one of ancient history’s most well-known stories, the Trojan War. Based on Homer’s Iliad, the movie goes well beyond the epic poem in telling the story of the ten-year siege of Troy. The story revolves around the famous Greek and Trojan soldiers Achilles (Brad Pitt) and Hector (Eric Bana). Pitt’s Achilles is a one-of-a-kind creation; he’s deadly and complicated, fighting not for honor or nation but for his glory, and leaves quite an impression. On the other hand, Bana’s Hector is a model of nobility; he puts his responsibilities to his family and city above his ambitions. Their showdowns are among the film’s most exciting sequences.
Similarly memorable is Orlando Bloom as Paris, the prince of Troy whose feelings for Helen (Diane Kruger) lead to the outbreak of hostilities. He’s not a fighter like his brother Hector; he’s a dreamer and a romantic, and his naiveté leads to the film’s terrible events. The battle scenes are epic and exciting, complete with the bronze clatter and warriors’ roar. However, critics had mixed reactions to the picture, with some applauding its entertaining features and Pitt’s portrayal while others criticizing its plot holes and infidelity to Homer’s Iliad. Still, Troy‘s worldwide total topped approximately $497 million, putting it in the top 60 of the highest-grossing movies of that time.
5. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Based on Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel from 1844, the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo is an exciting rendition. The film is a thrilling tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption, directed by Kevin Reynolds and written by Jay Wolpert. Edmond Dantes, played by Jim Caviezel, is a young, naive sailor whose life takes a terrible turn when his best friend, Fernand Mondego, betrays him. Guy Pearce plays Mondego with suitably sneaky charm. Dantes’s change begins at the infamous island prison of Chateau d’If, where he is serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. Caviezel’s performance as he changes from an optimistic young guy to a bitter aristocrat is impressive.
Abbe Faria is a fellow inmate who educates and inspires Dantes to seek revenge; Richard Harris gives a superb portrayal of Faria. One of the film’s emotional pillars is the relationship between these two characters; Faria becomes a father figure to Dantes, providing him with the tools he needs to achieve his retribution. The film takes place in gorgeous locations that transport viewers to early 19th-century France and make for a visually stunning journey. Reflecting Dantes’ metamorphosis, the moody Chateau d’If starkly contrasts the luxury of Parisian nobles. The Count of Monte Cristo did well at the box office and received positive reviews from critics.
4. Outlaw King (2018)
Fans of Gladiator can also watch Outlaw King, set during the Scottish Wars of Independence, which King Robert the Bruce led in the 14th century. The film focuses on the three years between 1304 when Bruce resolves to revolt against Edward I’s dominion over Scotland, and 1307, when the Battle of Loudoun Hill occurs. Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Sam Spruell, Tony Curran, Callan Mulvey, James Cosmo, and Stephen Dillane led the film’s ensemble cast.
Chris Pine performs fantastically as Robert the Bruce; the aristocrat turned renegade monarch. Pine does an excellent job of depicting the inner turmoil of a man torn between duty and love of country, the pressures of leadership, and the horrors of war. The rest of the ensemble is equally excellent, especially Aaron Taylor-Johnson as James Douglas and Florence Pugh as Robert’s wife, Elizabeth de Burgh. Some praised the film’s production design, settings, acting, and choreography, while others panned it for its historical mistakes and cliches.
3. 300 (2006)
The 1998 Frank Miller and Lynn Varley comic book series 300 inspired the 2006 epic battle picture 300. The film, directed by Zack Snyder, is a highly stylized telling of the historical Battle of Thermopylae, which pitted a small Greek force led by King Leonidas of Sparta against King Xerxes’s sizeable Persian army. Leonidas, portrayed by Gerard Butler, exemplifies Spartan virtues: bravery, courage, and loyalty to his city-state. King Xerxes, performed by Rodrigo Santoro, is a gold-clad god-king who sees himself as a manifestation of divinity.
Snyder, emulating the style of the source comic novel, uses a stylized look with a desaturated color palette and flashes of red and gold. The slow-motion action sequences and this visual style give the film a fantastic, almost comic-book feel. The speech contains catchy, somewhat bombastic sentences highlighting the Spartans’ strength and tenacity. Though 300 received mixed reviews, some applauding the sights and style, and others condemned what they saw as a biased or Iranophobic portrayal of the Persians, it was a box office success.
2. Braveheart (1995)
The historical epic Braveheart, directed by and starring Mel Gibson, is known for its passionate performances and impressive visuals. The film, which takes place in late 13th-century Scotland, follows the life of William Wallace, a commoner who rose to prominence during Scotland’s violent struggle for independence from England. Even though Braveheart received high marks for its exciting plot and touching romance, the movie was panned for being historically inaccurate.
Despite this, the film was a commercial and critical hit. Gibson’s performance as William Wallace is dramatic and heartfelt. He represents the man who would rise against the oppressive English monarchy out of grief for a loved one and patriotism for his country. Sophie Marceau as Princess Isabella, Patrick McGoohan as King Edward I, and Angus Macfadyen as Robert the Bruce all give excellent performances in support.
1. Spartacus (1960)
Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus, a historical epic released in 1960, is adapted from Howard Fast’s novel. Spartacus, the protagonist, was a gladiator and Roman enslaved person who later organized a massive slave revolt against the Roman Republic. Kirk Douglas plays Spartacus and gives a commanding performance that shows the character’s transformation from a reviled captive to an inspiring leader.
Over 60 years after its initial release, Spartacus still has the power to captivate and motivate audiences. Best Supporting Actor for Peter Ustinov, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design were among the film’s four Oscars, and it became Universal Studios’ highest-grossing film ever of that time. Because of its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance, the Library of Congress decided to archive it in the United States National Film Registry in 2017.
