Gladiators: The Brutal Truth (1999): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1999, Gladiators: The Brutal Truth is a documentary film directed by Alan Ereira, running about 49 minutes.

What it’s about. For 750 years, the local colosseum was the only place to go if you were looking for some action. What began as human sacrifice during funeral rites for wealthy families resulted in a violent, bloody battle staged in front of 50,000 fans. Gladiators were slaves, but the archaeological remains at Pompeii and the Roman Colosseum reveal that they were held in the same esteem as modern day sports stars. Gladiators explains how this "sport" was used as a tool of political power and how the Gladiators rose up and waged war against their owners. Two versions are available: presenter-free, and presenter-led, with Terry Jones of Monty Python fame.

Who’s in it. Gladiators: The Brutal Truth stars Richard Denton as Narrator and Terry Jones as Host.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, Gladiators: The Brutal Truth has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Gladiators: The Brutal Truth page.

If you liked it. Fans of Gladiators: The Brutal Truth tend to enjoy One Direction: This Is Us, Burn the Stage: The Movie, BTS World Tour: Love Yourself - Japan Edition and Senna.