Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Spartacus

Play trailer Poster for Spartacus PG-13 1960 3h 4m History Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 71 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Spartacus

Spartacus

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Featuring terrific performances and epic action, Kubrick's restored swords-and-sandals epic is a true classic.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Mildred Martin Philadelphia Inquirer 3 hrs ago
Stanley Kubrick, who took over direction from Anthony Mann, has apparently tried to serve both art and practicality. Some scenes are excellent; some straight out of D.W. Griffith, by way of DeMille. The resulting combination is distinctly uneven. Go to Full Review
Mae Tinée Chicago Tribune 3 hrs ago
It struck me as quantity without quality. Both the direction and the script are heavy-handed and obvious, and I found it an elephantine offering with only a very few valid moments. Go to Full Review
Patrick Gibbs Daily Telegraph (UK) 3 hrs ago
I would have watched willingly, even for three hours, Mr. Ustinov thus creating character where none exists. Go to Full Review
Arthur Steele Birmingham Mail 3 hrs ago
In his direction of Spartacus, Stanley Kubrick often made me feel that I watching a sequence from a normal length film of superior quality -- biting and exciting as only a true “cinematic” piece of film can be. Go to Full Review
Jay Carmody Washington Star 3 hrs ago
If there are moments in which some of the superb performers in the cast feel they are involved in stretches of historic nonsense, they are concealed with supreme artfulness. Go to Full Review
P.S. Harrison Harrison's Reports 4 hrs ago
A thinking man's star-studded spectacle. Packed with sex, swordplay, slavery and sneaky statesmen, [Spartacus] should appeal to both class and unsophisticated audiences. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Scott D @ZekesDad Jul 17, 2026 I am Spartacus! Great cast. They leave a lot of the true history out but it still contains the most important parts. I really can't find a major flaw in this movie. If you haven't seen it, grab a bucket of popcorn and watch it this weekend! See more Tom F @RT55173143 May 8, 2026 The least Kubricky of Kubrick’s films, mostly a straight ahead Roman Empire epic. See more Tim M @tgmacman Apr 27, 2026 A sword-and-sandals epic to stand with the best of them, Spartacus finds Stanley Kubrick working at the height of his powers to ensure that the legend of freedom still resonates today. See more Henry D @Henry_Domke Apr 7, 2026 Epic and superlative. It’s rare to see so many first-rate actors sharing the screen, and they all deliver. The sets and costumes are rich and convincing, giving the film real scale. It’s very long, yet it held our attention throughout. Seeing it in 4K on our big screen made a real difference, this is a film that needs space to breathe and would lose impact on a smaller screen. See more Johnathon W @Hoppynsc Feb 22, 2026 Epic classic that remains as important for what happened behind the scenes than on film. The cast is superb across the board, with Peter Ustinov stealing the show as the wiley slave handler. Behind the camera, Stanley Kubrick crafts an epic film that is perhaps his most straightforward, even when it takes some tragic twists. It is helped by some fantastic writing, notably from Donald Trumbo, whose name appearing broke the Hollywood Black List. While not perfect, its strengths easily outnumber its weaknesses, making for a classic epic like no other. See more Romas M @Romas Dec 17, 2025 Greetings from Lithuania. From all of the movie that Stanley Kubrick has ever made, "Spartacus" (1960) for me was always his least favorite. Simply because it was studio film, and Stanley Kubrick was a director for hire. And it clearly shows because it lacks any imagination in comparison to any other film this legendary director has ever made. It is a straightforward Hollywood's historical epic, with huge sets, great costumes, terrific set design, actors doing their best with material given. This is one of those Hollywood historical epics with its values and flaws. There are flows with this film and for me it always was pacing. Like the there are sequences in a second half of the film with a lot of dialogs and they just draggs the movie heavily. They add to the overall history of Rome, but does not work in terms of movie entertainment. It is just simply boring. See more Read all reviews
Spartacus

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Spartacus

Spartacus: Official Clip - I'm Spartacus Spartacus: Official Clip - I'm Spartacus 1:46 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Crassus Identifies Spartacus Spartacus: Official Clip - Crassus Identifies Spartacus 2:21 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Fight to the Death Spartacus: Official Clip - Fight to the Death 2:11 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Breaking Glabrus' Power Spartacus: Official Clip - Breaking Glabrus' Power 2:43 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Death Is the Only Freedom Spartacus: Official Clip - Death Is the Only Freedom 3:00 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - I Want to Know Spartacus: Official Clip - I Want to Know 2:58 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Gladiator Training Spartacus: Official Clip - Gladiator Training 2:45 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - I'm Not an Animal Spartacus: Official Clip - I'm Not an Animal 2:12 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Spartacus Is Sold Spartacus: Official Clip - Spartacus Is Sold 3:00 Now Playing Spartacus: Official Clip - Goodbye My Life Spartacus: Official Clip - Goodbye My Life 2:12 Now Playing View more videos
The Last Legion 15% 34% The Last Legion Watchlist Mary, Queen of Scots 67% 55% Mary, Queen of Scots Watchlist Becket 75% 87% Becket Watchlist Hero 94% 87% Hero Watchlist King of Kings 80% 78% King of Kings Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
Director
Stanley Kubrick
Producer
Edward Lewis
Screenwriter
Howard Fast, Dalton Trumbo, Calder Willingham
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Bryna Productions, Universal Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
History, Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 7, 1960, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Apr 28, 1991
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 18, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.7M
Runtime
3h 4m
Sound Mix
Stereo, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings