Gladiator
NZ release: 12 May 2000
Violence and offensive language Rated on: 12 May 2000
What’s it about?
Gladiator is an epic historical drama that follows a once-powerful Roman general who is betrayed and sold into slavery. He rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena, driven by a quest for revenge and justice against the corrupt emperor who wronged him.
The facts
- Directed by Ridley Scott (Gladiator II, Napoleon, House of Gucci, Alien)
- Starring Russell Crowe (Les Misérables and American Gangster), Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line and Joker) and Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman)
- Music by Hans Zimmer (The Lion King and Dune) and Lisa Gerrard (Balibo)
- English language
- Runtime: 159 minutes
- Based off the story by David Franzoni (King Arthur)
Why did it get this rating?
This film was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.
Violence
The violence in Gladiator is intense and frequent and includes brutal and bloody battle scenes. The film does not shy away from depicting the harsh and unforgiving nature of the gladiatorial arena and warfare. There are scenes that include bloody combat sequences with detailed injuries, such as decapitationsheads being cut off, and bodies being cut in half by swords. The strongest scenes are:
- Beyond the arena, the main character’s wife and child are tragically burned and crucified off-screen, with a haunting shot of their charred ankles and feet shown.
- In another scene, the main character painfully cuts into his skin to remove a tattoo marking him as a Roman soldier.
- There are also scenes involving chained tigers being killed and gladiators fighting for survival amid carnage.
The film also touches on abuse and exploitation, with mentions of child prostitution and unsettling scenes where a character tries to control and intimidate his sister in a sexual way.
Offensive language
The film includes occasional offensive language such as “b*tch” and “sh*t”
When content stays with you:
We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.
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