A film with a famously troubled production, including arguments over scripts, character traits and a director who tried his best to disavow the film in later years, Spartacus has nevertheless gone on to be one of cinemas most highly regarded and oft-imitated historical epics, revolving around the exploits of one of histories most famous underdogs. Kirk Douglas isn’t bowling anyone over with his performance, but he infuses the character with a lot of warmth, determination and a surprising amount of humour. Far from being a cliché reluctant hero, Spartacus always takes an active role in the rebellion he started, and the scope and scale of the film demonstrates just how far he managed to go while the worlds foremost superpower wanted his head on a platter. His romance with Varinia is never overdone, and with the amount of time it’s given to grow, you never doubt that the feelings they have for each other are genuine. The film clocks in at 3 and a quarter hours, at least the 1991 restoration does, and while its not usually a problem, you do feel the length as you reach the end, and there are several scenes that you could cut out altogether to create a much more streamlined narrative. The famous ‘I’m Spartacus’ scene is very enjoyable and emotionally satisfying, but its placement feels weird, with around 30-minutes of screentime coming after it so it never feels like the definitive climax that it should. It might not have received the acclaim that other historical epics of that time received, such as Lawrence Of Arabia and Ben-Hur, but it still stands as a powerful and beautifully made indictment of tyranny, and a potent celebration of the oppressed underdog succeeding in a way no one thought they ever could.

The kiddies will love it.

Arguably the greatest epic in a decade full of them, Spartacus is an astonishing accomplishment in acting, directing, and action scenes.

What a great story, a good movie for Xmas. But it's very long - best watched in small instalments. It's even based on a "true" story. See Wiki for further info.

I am Spartacus. One of the all-time greats.

"Spartacus" finds a lot of (what we'd later discover were) Kubrick's trademarked abilities stymied by the last gasps of the studio era, but it's still fascinating to see how the man navigated through such daunting material in such a notoriously limiting period of film history. In many ways, I could see the argument of this being the biggest film he's made in terms of scope, storytelling and just how much effort went into everything in front of the camera. With regard to my enjoyment of the picture, though, I'm of two minds. The actual "Spartacus" stuff is magnificent. The character himself is just a blast to watch. Kirk Douglas is in top charismatic form here and all the battles are intoxicating as well, representing some of the only times we get a clear glimpse at an unmistakable Kubrick at work. The palace intrigue stuff was a bit more difficult for me to get into, ultimately leaving me thirsting for more swashbuckling. Still, it's hard to find the epic feel given off here in pretty much anything coming out in theaters these days and that made this worth the watch alone.

For me this is Kubricks best Movie. Head and shoulders above Ridley Scott's "Gladiator"

Truly iconic film which became the benchmark for historical epics, most not living up to its standards.

One of the best if not the best monumental films of that era.

One of the greatest epics of all time, and so underrated as a Stanley Kubrick masterpiece. This film is a hall of fame of acting; simply sublime ensemble cast. Very re-watchable, it has everything you want in a movie.

Classic .So good. I like the tv series but hated the Blood and Steal one was too updated!! Ridiculous making everyone in Ancient Rome look like animals. They could not build an empire like that. Classic one was the best well done. Shows the good and bad in Ancient Rome. But you can see the bad and the good of the great empire! And Glories. I am half Italians and all Southern Italian origins have so much Greek/Anatolian especially Sicilians going back to Ancient times that you just feel connected to the empire yes good great and the bad happen with villains and systems in every great empire or society.

The story in this movie is wonderful, it has very interesting characters and enemies. Very emotional, and the end is not expected but logical. To have this movie show the slaves winning and leaving Italy would just be inaccurate. The movie is long, but making it shorter would have spared the deep meaning and story.

Great movie about arguably the greatest Bulgario to ever live.

This movie ended differently than I thought it would for a bit (in a very good and powerful way) and I liked the battle scene with the Romans and how it started, plus the famous "I'm Spartacus!" scene. The acting and dialogue were a bit outdated but it was very good for the time, and I can now finally see how so many films copied the material from this one (such as Gladiator and Braveheart). While I liked the 10 Commandments more and while this was an overly lengthy movie to watch, it remained impressive and I was hooked from the very beginning. It's important to watch older films that are actually original for the time that they came out, and Stanley Kubrick will always be the ultimate king of directing movies! RIP and RIP to everyone else who participated in this production.

"Spartacus" has that old-school epic feel that few films of today have. This is undoubtedly a long movie, but it tells a complete story. The production value is so impressive and even more so considering when it was made. I enjoyed the film's big moments and felt a bit hit or miss with its dialogue-heavy and talky moments. Sometimes I felt completely engaged and other times a bit bored. Nonetheless, the movie has plenty of entertainment value, particularly at the beginning and near the end which makes it a worthwhile experience. I also think the performances and characters are well thought out here and I really did feel immersed in the world it was wanting to create. Kirk Douglas gave a really memorable lead performance here and it carries the movie in any areas it may lack or feel dated. Overall, this is one of Kubrick's earliest big movies and it is a solid part of his diverse film library.

An instant classic film that had the opportunity to have one of the greatest movie endings of all time. They should have ended at I'M SPARTACUS.

filme legal, o roteiro é bacana, achei legal o kirk douglas como spartacus, gostei da cena do treinamentos dos soldados e do spartacus e gostei da luta entre os soldados do spartacus vs os soldados do Julius Caesar eu acho que eram soldados dele, e achei meio triste o spartacus ter o seu corpo crucificado em uma cruz junto com os seus soldados no final do filme, mas mesmo com isso, eu recomendo esse filme, um filme com muito dialogo e pouco ação.

This is a much underrated classic. First, the writing. It is excellent throughout. Yes, there is a lot of controversy as to whether Ustinov wrote his own dialogue and what role Kirk Douglas played in changing lines on set - that's all trivia. Dalton Trumbo wrote a great script. From the very outset, he knew he had to write a script where the title character was crucified at the end - and yet the movie had to 'uplifting.' He succeeded. The dynamic between the characters is always electrifying. And the love story - well, it is one of the best ever put on screen. Next, the acting - again, it doesn't get any better. From Douglas' teeth-grinding action scenes to Olivier's smooth but uncompromising Roman dictator-in-waiting to Jean Simmonds masterful performance of a slave woman searching for a way to be free, there are few movies that can boast the kind of top to bottom great acting that htis movie has. Then, the other parts that make a movie rise above the rest - starting with its director, Stanley Kubrick. This is an epic movie told at a persoanl level. Some of the scenes are so well staged ans hot that they take your breath away. Russell Metty doesn't have the reputation that some cinematographers have, but this movie shows what he could do when given the chance. Alex North's score is heralded as one of if the greatest score ever written for a film. Saul Bass did the credits and they are outstanding - yes, the credits are worth watching! See this movie - on a big screen if you can, but see it. It's one of the greatest movies evewr made. It's Spartacus!

Great film with a cast of thousands . One of kirk douglas greatest films . Good costumes , battle scenes , and a brilliant supporting cast.

Putting the word "epic" into an epic.