Revealing mistake: Watch closely during the first gladiator battle as the man who is caught in a net gets charged by a man with a spear and a man with a sword. First the man with the spear stabs him, but when the man with the sword stabs him you can actually see him holding the tip of the sword pointing to the side avoiding to hit him. (00:54:55)
Factual error: The last gladiator to be killed when Maximus is chained to Juba holds a trident. This kind of gladiator is called a "retiarius." They're also the ones who fight using nets. The shoulder armour was always worn on the left shoulder, not the right, because left-handedness was frowned upon in Ancient Rome. Also "retiarius" never wore face masks for helmets as it would give them too much of an advantage. Every Gladiator was given equal advantage depending on their specialty. (00:55:25)
Visible crew/equipment: During the first Gladiator match in Morocco, Maximus and Juba are chained together. Once they have killed the last man, the camera takes us around the arena. You can clearly see the shadow of the camera on Maximus' chest. It happens twice. (00:55:45)
Revealing mistake: After the first gladiator fight when Maximus and Juba have finished off the last gladiator, it cuts to a wide shot of the arena. The camera moves to the left, if you look at the back row you can see two men with modern day T-shirts talking. (00:55:45)
Visible crew/equipment: When Commodus enters Rome in triumph, he descends from his chariot to mount the stairs. A group of children with flowers rise. At the extreme right, modern scaffolding is visible for a half a second. (00:57:28)
Continuity mistake: When Lucius descends the stairs to greet his mother and Commodus, there is a brief close-up sideways which shows, behind them, a banner, and two stones with hieroglyphs. There are in fact several Egyptian obelisks in Rome, that were taken there in antiquity. The only trouble is, it doesn't match with the long shot at all. (Commentary track confirms this was not shot on one existing location - only the four top steps of the stairs were really there). (00:57:31)
Audio problem: When Commodus and Gracchus are having their little debate in front of the senate and Gracchus says "Then perhaps Caesar will be so good as to teach us, out of his own extensive experience.". Then it cuts to a wide shot of the senate, and you can hear them laugh. However, none of them are moving their mouths, nor seems amused in any way. (00:59:15)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus and Lucilla are talking while Commodus sits on his throne, the shots change from in front of Lucilla and behind her. When it's behind her it is the wind is blowing through her shawl. When it's in front of her it's not blowing. (01:00:50)
Visible crew/equipment: When Commodus says "The greatness of Rome. and what is that?", as Lucilla answers "It's an idea", it cuts to her walking. As she walks, look behind Commodus' throne above the arm rest, you should be able to see a yellow cord hidden behind a monument. (01:01:00)
Continuity mistake: In the middle, Commodus is sitting in a big chair and talking to Lucilla who is standing up. At the end of this scene, Commodus extends his right arm. In the following shot, the arm is a lot higher than the previous shot. (01:01:25)
Factual error: In one of the scenes in Rome leading up to a fight, leaflets are being handed out. These didn't exist, event notices were written up on boards. (01:02:15)
Continuity mistake: When the two guys in white are having a drink outside of Rome, the guy with the white beard looks outside, and he has his hand on his chin, yet in the following shot it's nowhere near his chin. (01:02:30)
Continuity mistake: In the fight scene where Maximus fights alone in Morocco, watch where he punches a gladiator, slices open his belly then spins around and stabs him. Watch once he has spun around; there is no cut on the man's belly. (01:04:15)
Revealing mistake: When Maximus quickly kills all his opponents, the third to last man he kills of the group of men, when he stabs him in the stomach, you can clearly see him "stab" to the side of his stomach. Even more visible when you slow it down. (01:04:20)
Revealing mistake: During the gladiator battle where Maximus is fighting gladiators alone, there is a particular shot with the gladiator he recently sliced up the stomach on. First Maximus hits him in the face, and you can see blood gutter up from the ground instead of from his face. Then when it cuts to Maximus stabbing him, blood gutters from behind Maximus, when in fact the gladiator is standing in front of him. (01:04:20)
Continuity mistake: In the second battle scene where Maximus fights against six gladiators, he stabs one of them in the chest. Blood splatters everywhere and even all over Maximus' right arm. In the very next shot, his arm is miraculously clean. (01:04:20)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus stabs the last gladiator during his solo match, as he stabs him with his last sword you see him using his left arm while holding his right arm behind him. When it cuts he is suddenly holding the sword with his right arm instead. (01:04:35)
Visible crew/equipment: During the scene where Maximus throws the sword into the crowd and yells "are you not entertained," the camera pans around, and in the crowd, for a split second, you can see a cameraman in jeans and a shirt standing next to a camera. This is visible on the big screen, but hard to see on video, unless you see it on DVD and can zoom in. (01:04:50)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus slices the head off of his opponent, and delivers his line "Are you not entertained?" his sword begins in his left hand then it cuts to a wide shot, and it's in his right, then they cut back to a closer shot and it's back in his left hand again. (01:04:50)
Revealing mistake: When Maximus goes up against the 6 gladiators by himself, the fourth gladiator (carrying an axe and wearing a large helmet) he slashes across the right side right above the belt. You can tell the slash doesn't cut, but leaves a trail of blood and in the next shot the blood disappears entirely. (01:06:55 - 01:07:00)
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 ★