Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the film, when the Romans are about to fight the Germanians, a shot of some soldiers standing beside a war machine is shown. In the background, you can see that the fires for the archers are already lit. The next shot then show the same fires being lit and you can tell they are in the same place as the ones previously shown.
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: Before Lucilla gets to Commodus who asks her if she knows if Gracchus has a new lover suspecting her to be his new lover, she walks by two servants. The servant on the left is looking down with his head bowed. When it cuts he is suddenly standing up straight looking after Lucilla as she walks by. (Extended version only). (02:08:35)
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)
Continuity mistake: Just before the battle with against the Germanians begins, while the Germanians are taunting the Romans, there are many arrows in the trees and in the ground. Twice we see this. Problem is that the disciplined Romans had not fired a single arrow at that point and no skirmishers, which could have been authorized to shoot before the order to "loose" can be seen in the open area in front of the defensive position. (00:06:50)
Continuity mistake: After the battle with Tigris of Gaul, Maximus' neck was spread with tiger blood. But when he faced Commodus, no blood on his neck. (01:43:30 - 01:44:30)
Continuity mistake: When Maximus is finished praying for his son and his wife, he calls for Cicero. We then see Cicero walk in to Maximus from behind while holding a cloth in his right hand. When it cuts he is holding it in his left hand. (00:30:05)
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: When Aurelius gets on his horse and Maximus is helping him, you can see Aurelius' arms are under his cloak. When it cuts to Aurelius saying "So much for the glory of Rome" you can see his left arm is uncovered. (00:16:30)
Continuity mistake: During the battle of Carthage there is a scene where Juba jumps on to the back of a moving chariot. When it cuts the chariot is suddenly standing still, Juba is standing on the ground while his mates are grabbing the gladiator on the chariot. (01:24:30)
Continuity mistake: At one point during the first Germanian attack you see the Roman soldiers creating a line-up with shields, soon after followed by the Germanians running towards them off-hill (starting their attack). Clearly a few Germanian stopped fighting a little too early and you see them (left-side) turning and looking around. (00:09:15)
Continuity mistake: During the final scenes, when Maximus had died and his body is lying on the sand, we can see both the slaves and the Praetorians forming a semicircle around Maximus. When Quintus asks for help to carry Maximus body, during the second it takes long to raise it up (shot change), the slaves have moved and the Praetorians are forming a perfect honor corridor through which Maximus's body is about to go by. (02:20:55)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus goes to see his father thinking his father would pass his powers onto him, if you look closely when he enters, there's a white sheet blowing rather vigorously in front of the camera. When it cuts to a shot of Commodus, the sheet now is hardly blowing at all. (00:30:35)
Continuity mistake: Watch as the Germanian leader gets killed. A soldier charges and stabs him on his left side. When it cuts the soldier charges and stabs him again. (00:03:35)
Continuity mistake: When we get to the comedy play fight between Maximus and Commodus, we look at the front of the stage and we see the actor playing Maximus is standing in the middle of the stage and the one playing Commodus on the right side. When we get a view from back of the stage 'Maximus' is standing on the left side of the stage and 'Commodus' in the middle. They have suddenly switched sides. (01:49:55)
Continuity mistake: In the final fight scene between Commodus and Maximus when Commodus loses his sword and Maximus drops his, we see Lucilla stand up but when it goes back to Maximus she is sitting back down, this happens a lot during the close-ups in this scene. (02:15:55)
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 wagon, when Commodus gets up and sits down beside Lucilla, the sunlight coming over his shoulder changes between the shots. (00:13:00)
Continuity mistake: When Commodus is holding Aurelius and says "Father.", he is holding Aurelius by the top of his head. When it cuts to a close-up of Aurelius looking up at Commodus, right before Commodus kills him, we see Commodus holding his chin instead of his head. (00:33:55)
Continuity mistake: When Lucilla is making tonic for Commodus there is a close-up of her hand mixing the tonic. We can see on the table there is nothing near the glass except for a purple bottle which is probably 5 centimeters from the glass. When it cuts and she puts away the spoon she tips something over on the table right next to the glass. However it can't be the purple bottle because it would have to be closer to the glass in order for Lucilla to hit it. (01:12:55)
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 ★