Gladiator

Starring: Russell Crowe
Director: Ridley Scott
Genre: Action
Year: 2000
Rating: 4 / 5

"At my signal, unleash hell." A little over-the-top? Maybe, but that quote, uttered early on in director Ridley Scott's Gladiator, is the sort of ultra-cool one-liner that is remembered long after a film's conclusion. It sets the tone for the film's opening sequence, a jaw-dropping visual feast that introduces us all to the world of 180 A.D. Much has been made of the fact that Gladiator represents a return of the epic films of the 1950s and 1960s, and that may well be the case. Of course, being able to energize the genre with modern-day special effects can only help.

Maximus (Russell Crowe) is Rome's greatest general, leading the charge into Germania on behalf of Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), the aging Roman emperor. Marcus Aurelius is at the end of his life, and his one mission is to see that Rome returns to being a city of the people and for the people. He is fed up with the corruption, yet he knows that his son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) is not the answer. Only one man can possibly return Rome to its past greatness, and that man is Maximus. The general, who is also a father and husband, is reluctant to take the post, but is willing to do so for the good of Rome.

As anyone who has seen even a ten-second promo for this film knows, Maximus is not the new emperor of Rome. Seeing his power slipping away from him, Commodus murders his own father and orders Maximus killed. The crafty warrior is not taken so easily, and he escapes death, only to find his family murdered and himself sold into slavery. It is in this new arena that he is afforded the opportunity to voyage to Rome. Maximus is now a hard-nosed gladiator, known only as "The Spaniard," and he is determined to have his vengeance against Commodus.

Director Ridley Scott (Alien) delivers some inspiring action shots, beginning with the opening battle montage. Unfortunately, as spectacular as this scene is, it is one of only a handful of such sequences in the film. Though the film is over two and a half hours long, the time actually does fly by, even without the emphasis on action. Russell Crowe is outstanding, though his brilliance in the role only draws more attention to the lack of truly compelling supporting characters. The veteran trio of Derek Jacobi, Richard Harris, and the late Oliver Reed delivers solid performances, but their characters do not demand attention. Crowe is able to overcome all of this, however, as Maximus is the sort of hero we hope for in modern Hollywood. Not too surprising that Ridley Scott had to travel back two thousand years to find him...

Certification: Rated R for violence.
Running Time: 154 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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