|
|
|
|
|
Gladiator isn’t really my kind of movie. I’m not a drama kind of person. In fact, the first time I saw Gladiator, I fell asleep. I did, however, give it another chance (when I was a little less sleepy), and I allowed myself to enjoy it for what it is –- a beautifully artistic drama.
Best Actor Academy Award winner Russell Crowe stars as Maximus, the general of the Roman army under Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). The dying emperor decides the Maximus will succeed him -– and prepare the Senate to take full control of Rome. The emperor’s son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), however, has other plans. He kills his father and declares himself emperor.
When Maximus refuses to serve the new emperor, Commodus orders him killed. But Maximus escapes -– into the hands of a slave trader, who sells him as a gladiator. Maximus’s success in the arena brings him to Rome, where he begins his battle to save the empire.
Gladiator is a beautiful film –- to put it simply. Instead of shocking viewers with blood and gore (as most directors would in a violent film like this one), director Ridley Scott made battle scenes artistic -– with strobe-like action and the symphonic melodies of Hans Zimmer. Considering the number of rather gruesome deaths in this film, my stomach was relatively undisturbed.
Crowe’s performance is spectacular -– and Phoenix is totally believable as a tyrannical jerk with an unnatural love of his sister (though I’m not sure that that’s necessarily a good thing).
Scott did an excellent job of recreating the beauty and splendor of ancient Rome –- while subtly allowing it to all make sense (think of the gladiator scenes as a football game, and you’ll be able to place yourself there without a problem). In fact, Scott did an excellent job with subtleties in general -– and that’s what makes Gladiator such an award-winning film.
|
|
|
|
