(I havent seen the movie yet.)
The movie has gotten mostly positive reviews, but no one has called it brilliant or anything else unhinged.
Well, you may be surprised to learn that this actually happened, maybe!
Titanic / Paramount Pictures
The Colosseum was regularly used tostage reenactments of naval battles.
Adding CGI sharks was just a logical step forward.
Also, there are many movies that are even less historically accurate thanGladiator 2.
Gladiator (2000)
Yes, the firstGladiatoris on this list.
Director Ridley Scott is known for taking creative liberties with his historical subject matter.
(See: the next movie.)
Universal Pictures
But theres a reason why my Latin professor never let us watchGladiatoron the days when she was hungover.
Also, Commodus was never murdered by Maximus (a heroic Russell Crowe).
Instead, Commodus was assassinated by a professional wrestler named Narcissus while taking a bath.
Sony Pictures
The latter did not play as well for test audiences, I assume.
Napoleon (2023)
Ridley ScottsNapoleonis not meant to be a traditional biography, or even hagiography.
It regards its central figure with, alternately, amusement and contempt.
Paramount Pictures
That said, Scott also completely invented parts of Napoleons life.
Someone has yet to sufficiently explain to me why Napoleon fires cannons at the Pyramids in this movie.
Titanic (1997)
James Cameron got a lot of impressive details correct about the sinking of the RMSTitanic.
20th Century Fox
For the average viewer (me), he pulled this off in a most impressive way.
But if you ask Twitter historians or Letterboxd film critics,Titanicplays fast and loose with history.
Leos plot-friendly handcuffs wouldnt have been invented by the time thatTitanicsank.
20th Century Fox
He wasnt even the real hero!
However, thats not even the most obvious mistake.
They didnt arrive until three centuries later.
Thats right.Braveheartshouldnt have kilts!
Go ahead and stare blankly out the window for two hours.
