Continuity mistake: When Maximus comes back to his tent after seeing Aurelius dead he tells Cicero to wake Gaius and Falco. Then he says "Sword" and Cicero gives Maximus something and walks away as Maximus turns around. When it cuts Maximus turns around again. (00:37:05)
Continuity mistake: When the soldiers take Maximus out into the woods to be executed, when Maximus says to the soldier "a soldiers death ", Maximus can be seen lowering his head, yet in the following shot, he is lowering his head again. (00:38:20)
Continuity mistake: Maximus is about to be executed in the forest in Germania. Maximus kneels on the floor. The swordsman steps behind him and lifts the sword above his head to drive it down into the back of the neck of Maximus. When Maximus stands up and head-butts the swordsman the swordsman's arms are now by his side and the sword gone. The next shot shows the arms back in the air, with the sword, and Maximus grabbing the sword. (00:38:35)
Revealing mistake: When Maximus is being taken to be executed he escapes - when he whacks the last man round the face look closely and you see he slashes about a foot away from the soldier's face. (00:38:45)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus has killed the Praetorian and got wounded himself, we see him getting down on his knees and leading his right arm to the wound on his left arm. At this time we can see the sleeve on his right arm is by his elbow. When it cuts to a close-up of his hand we can see the sleeve is down by his wrist. (00:39:30)
Visible crew/equipment: In the scene on the DVD where Maximus' son is lunging his horse, just before he gets killed, the camera pans to show a view of the house in the background. On the right side of the house you can see two aerial power cables between the trees. You need a good resolution screen to pick it out: it's visible on my computer monitor but not on my television. (00:41:10)
Revealing mistake: As Maximus approached his home after he should have been killed, the grain fields clearly show marks which are only caused by a tractor during crop spraying. (00:42:00)
Factual error: When a group of soldiers goes to Maximus' villa to burn it and kill his family, his son points them, saying in Italian "Mamma! I soldati!" ("Mom, the soldiers!") and then "Papà!" ("Daddy!"). This is because the young actor (Giorgio Cantarini) is Italian and they didn't translate, for some reason. As a result, he's speaking Italian in a movie in English, where people are supposed to speak Latin, in a province where Italian was never ever spoken. (00:43:07)
Factual error: Architectural elements were from several centuries later. Note the balustrades, bell towers and domes in the Rome skyline shot and, more than anything else, Maximus' house, a typical 15th century Chianti villa. Also the columns are not painted, which they were in ancient Rome. (00:43:10)
Factual error: In the scene where Maximus is finding his wife and son's bodies there are two chickens to his left. One of these is definitely a Rhode Island Red hen. This breed of chicken was developed upwards of 1,700 years after Roman times in the US state of Rhode Island. (00:44:10)
Continuity mistake: When Proximo is talking with the slave dealer and he says "You sold me queer giraffes, I want my money back.", you see him holding a cup with his index finger pointing up. When he takes a sip from the cup his finger is down. (00:46:35)
Continuity mistake: At the slave market when Proximo is checking Juba, he grabs Juba on his wrist above the lock. When it cuts he has grabbed him below the lock. (00:47:20)
Audio problem: When they get in the gates at Proximo's after he has bought the slaves you hear him say, "I am Proximo" but his lips aren't moving when he says it. (00:48:20)
Revealing mistake: When Proximo is having his speech for the slaves as he says "And as your mothers were there at your beginning" there is a shot of a man throwing a spear at another man. Look at the spear as it flies through the air. It wiggles as if it is attached to a wire. (00:48:40)
Audio problem: When Proximo has lined up his slaves and says "And when you die, and die you shall. Your transition shall be to the sound of..." then he starts clapping. We hear the clapping and it cuts to Proximo clapping once then stops, but we can still hear one extra clap. (00:48:55)
Continuity mistake: When Hagen tests Maximus in the sword fighting, watch closely the scene behind them. At the time when Hagen strikes Maximus for the first time you can see gladiator behind taking a glass. At the time of the second strike you can see only a glass. When Hagen stopped his third strike you can see the same gladiator holding a glass and looking around. This time he is turned toward the camera and you can see a red spot on his chest. (00:49:55)
Continuity mistake: The first time Maximus is about to fight as a gladiator we see him grabbing some dirt in his right hand and pouring it into his left hand. When it cuts we can see both his hands covered in dirt before he start rubbing his hands, as if he already has rubbed his hands in a previous scene. (00:52:55)
Continuity mistake: During the first gladiator battle Maximus grabs another gladiator's sword by the blade. Two shots later he is holding the sword by its handle with no time to change grip. (00:54:20)
Continuity mistake: During the first gladiator battle there is a shot of Hagen striking a man with an animal skull on his head. In the next shot sand is suddenly 'raining', from out of nowhere, all over Hagen. (00:54:25)
Revealing mistake: During the first gladiator battle there is a shot of Maximus stabbing another gladiator. When it cuts from behind that gladiator it is obvious that the sword is resting in his armpit before Maximus pulls it out. This happens a few shots after Hagen chops off his fellow gladiator's hand. (00:54:45)
Chosen answer: You're probably closest with the suggestion that they're rather stunned at the sheer speed with which Maximus has carved through the opposition. They'd certainly be used to more of a show, so for Maximus to slay all his challengers in less than a minute would take them aback. If anything, the "Are you not entertained" is closer to the theatrics that they'd really expect to see, which would prompt them into cheering him - up to that point, he's not exactly won their favour, even though he's defeated all comers.
Tailkinker ★