Spartacus (1960) Movie Review

"Spartacus" is about a young slave in Ancient Rome leading an uprising of fellow slaves against the Roman Empire. When all hope seems lost, the slave must come to terms with the decisions he’s made as both a legend and a martyr. 

Spartacus is what big-budget spectacle should aspire to be; epic in scope and scale, filled with magnificent production design, and anchored by great performances by powerful movie stars. The film succeeds on all these accounts and proves itself ahead of its time in all these ways - and let’s not forget the exciting and intense battle scenes where the stakes are high. 


Kirk Douglas yet again knocks it out of the park in terms of inspirational character performance as the eponymous hero. Spartacus inspires all around him to rise against the slaves and we feel for him in victory and in tragedy. 


I do admit that by today’s standards, the film could seem overlong and slow-paced. However, the film packs a lot in those hours in a way that’s satisfying and entertaining. 


If you are tired of the big-budget CGI spectacle that dominates much of modern Hollywood, then maybe this film might have a passable appeal to you. However if you enjoy old timey films that also happen to be big in scale, ambition, and performance, you might also enjoy it even more (though be prepared to sit through a long movie regardless). 


Well that's all I got for you. I told you I'd be seeing you daily. Feel free to like or subscribe to my YouTube channel or Patreon (search "LoganLand Rants" for both), shoutout to Quinton Oliver Smith and I'll see you tomorrow.

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