Asurprisingly apt companion piece to Paths of Glory in its consideration of the mechanisms of power.
5 Comments
02/09/06
Spartacus (1960)
95
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:43
Fresh:41
Rotten:2
Average Rating:8.1/10
Consensus: Featuring terrific performances and epic action, Kubrick’s restored swords-and-sandals epic is a true classic.
Theatrical Release:09-06-2009
Synopsis: SPARTACUS, based on Howard Fast's popular novel, is Stanley Kubrick's glorious masterpiece about a slave uprising in Rome in 70 B.C. Kirk Douglas, who also served as executive producer, stars as... [More]
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Jean Simmons, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Reviews for Spartacus
Top CriticThe great-granddaddy of Ridley Scott's Gladiator hasn't lost any muscle tone after nearly half a century, and Kirk Douglas's direct, unpretentious performance as the great slave-rebel Spartacus is more engaging than ever.
06/12/09
Top CriticDouglas is terrific as the iron-jawed slave fuelled by righteous fury.
06/12/09
Top CriticOf all the historical epics, this pretty much takes the biscuit, with an unbelievable cast, incredible cinematography and plenty of quotable scenes.
01/01/00
Top CriticOne of the greatest Hollywood epics.
06/12/09
Though this stuff could have been directed by anyone, the greatness of Spartacus is in the stretches everyone remembers.
05/19/04
Top CriticOne of the last truly great Roman epics.
06/12/09
Top CriticArguably the greatest sword 'n' sandal movie of them all.
10/03/07
Top CriticIt is in the observation of human detail, and in many memorable little scenes that the film scores most heavily over other epics, and in which it finds an inner strength.
06/12/09
Top CriticMany scenes ring passionate and rousing, while others are campy and silly, and somehow they all work together.
05/17/04
[A] very attractive film because it doesn't lack spectacle.
01/01/00
Kubrick’s gladiator film is the pinnacle of sword-and-sandal epics.
03/10/03
It is a spotty, uneven drama.
05/09/02
Top CriticSpartacus to this day remains one of the most rousing action epics ever filmed.
01/01/00
The most courageous thing about it, from today's standards, is that it closes without an obligatory happy ending, and an audience that has watched for 187 minutes doesn't get a tidy, mindless conclusion.
01/01/00
Top CriticThough this is hardly a Kubrick film, since Kubrick wasn't involved in the preproduction, Douglas's wisdom in calling on Kubrick to bail him out on this ambitious production is evident throughout.
11/12/01
The comparative frankness of the politics, sexuality, and violence, and especially the downbeat third act and memorable finale give it a dramatic heft beyond its predecessors.
05/02/05
Seeing Spartacus in this restored version, with its original overture, intermission and a few inserted pieces of footage that had been excised after initial screenings, is nothing short of spectacular.
01/01/00
the liberal message is delivered with a heavy hand, but the film also boasts some stirring action and intelligent dialogue.
06/27/02
Based on a true story of a slave revolt in 73 BC, Dalton Trumbo's script mixes the corny melodrama typical of the epics of the era with some quite affecting, moving moments.
01/01/00
Latest News for Spartacus
July 16, 2008:
Exclusive: The World of WALL-E
The artists behind this year's freshest film share their story with RT, with exclusive contributions from Andrew Stanton, Ben Burtt, Jim Morris, Lindsay Collins, Angus MacLane,... More...
June 22, 2007:
AFI Announces Top 100 Movies of All Time ... Again
Ten years ago the AFI gave us a list of the Top 100 American Films Ever Made -- and when that was done they churned out 15 other lists every few years. And then last night they... More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
RT on YouTube 
Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.
RT on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.
IGN RSS Feeds