El Cid is an epic movie with romance, battles, duels, a love triangle, royal intrigue and lavish sets. The plot takes a sledgehammer to history, so if you are knowledgeable about this era of Spanish history you will probably shake your head multiple times throughout (this is the reason I gave it four stars rather than five). Nevertheless, it's a superb, if long, film that anyone who enjoys the old style of Hollywood epics will love.