Gladiator

Rating:
Summary: My new favorite movie
Review: The first time i saw this was on DVD. My friend who is really into movies kept on telling me to see it. Finally I bought it on DVD. Afterwards I was like wow what a great movie. Its has the same kind of underdog that rises to the occasion. In all the commercials about the movie they portrayed it as being an action packed movie and being basically a guy movie. The plot of this movie is the best part. Any women would be crying at the end of it. The action seen are great but the plot is by far the best i have ever seen. It is my new #1 movie.

Rating:
Summary: A Solid Film
Review: Ah "Gladiator." What a film. The execs at Dreamworks said that it was going to be "bigger than Titanic!" While that was a bit of a stretch, the film was still a big deal. It brought sandal and sword epics of the fifties and sixties back in a big way. It made Russel Crowe an overnight success. It brought Ridley Scott back in a big way. And it brought big bucks into the box office.

"Gladiator" is a really good film. It's only problem is that "Braveheart" already came out. It's hard not to draw parallels between the films considering they both revolve around characters who are avenging the deaths of their wives while they fight political persecution in their country.

But what "Gladiator" tackles head on that "Braveheart" ignored is the issue of identity, speciffically in Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus. Here is a great film villain that we almost sympathize with because what makes him tick is so clearly portrayed to the audience. Phoenix is fantastic in this role, but, then again, it would have taken alot of hard work to mess up a character so well written.

Along with a refreshingly original score, beautiful cinematography, a star making performance by Crowe, and amazing battle scenes, Gladiator has become one of the top contenders for Oscar this year. Does it deserveb the top prize? No of course not. The material isn't freh enough. But its better than alot of other films this year.

Rating:
Summary: Masterfully done!
Review: As a student of the classics, not only did I find this film an accurate depiction of the Roman empire and its times, but I also enjoyed it immensely. It appeals to those of us who are not great fans of action films without its wonderful plot, excellent directing, and just overall beauty in filmmaking. Additionally, the DVD enhances the picture and the sound. The extras on the second disc are wonderful. Just a great film all around. I highly recommend this film to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Best movie of 2000
Review: This was simply the best movie in a while. You must see this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Gladiator is what a blockbuster should be!!
Review: Gladiator chronicles the story of Maximus, a Roman general that serves Rome itself, and not merely the person holding the reins of the great empire. The story is an epic tale that reminds me of the great classic, Ben Hur. True, this movie, reminds me of the modern films, the Patriot and Braveheart, this one surpasses both of these in both story telling and action.

While the scenes are at times a little bloody, it is done tastefully, and it does not remind me of some of the gore fests that I have seen. I feel that this story although not totally original, is a very compelling and stirs one's emotions. Maximus is a reluctant hero, and merely wants to be left alone, but his wrath is provoked by the son of one whom he trusted, and he is unjustly dishonored. Through valor and his own abilities, he survives as a gladiator until one day his skill and ability puts him in a position to gain both vengeance and an assured future for Rome.

Masterfully directed by Ridley Scott and wonderful acting by those in the movie will make this a classic that will endure as has the classic that this reminds me of, Ben Hur. I would heartily recommend this to all except the most squeamish. This would be a great part of any DVD collection.

Rating:
Summary: Russell Crowe is HOT!
Review: I'm not the type of person to enjoy "macho" movies like Gladiator and The Patriot, but I immensely enjoyed both of them. Maybe my head has been in the sand, but I didn't really know who Russell Crowe was (excluding his romance with Meg Ryan) but now find myself a true fan. His acting is extraordinary and the story line allows us to look a little bit into the past. I never liked history in high school but find myself more interested in it as movies come out which tell a little bit about the past (yes, I realize they are "Hollywoodized" somewhat-I'm not that naive! :-) ).

More than the movie, the bonus material is fantastic. If you have read any of my other reviews, I am mainly a fan of DVD's because of the bonus materials. I like to know what goes on behind the scenes and to learn a little more about the actors involved.

If you like suspense and drama, Gladiator is for you!

Rating:
Summary: simple addendum
Review: A spectacular movie with wonderful extras on the disc, this is one for the collection. Without recycling the same ideas already stated some 500 times before me, I'd like to add that what is wonderful about Joaquin Phoenix's performance in particular is that he doesn't simply make his character fall into the typical villain stereotypes, but rather provides his Commodus with a depth and resourcefulness that make him truly understandable. Treacherous and menacing he may be, but the new Emperor is also wounded, emotionally, perhaps more deeply than any other character in the film. His character might have been the focus of a movie which aimed at creating Shakespeareanesque tragedy rather than heroic epic. The plot, of course, demands resolution in traditional style, but Phoenix does not allow the complexity of Commodus' character to be lost. Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular
Review: There's a series of scenes about halfway through "Gladiator", when you realize the filmmakers have pulled off a neat trick. Commodus has reinstated the gladiatorial matches at the Colosseum. Proximo, a slave-owner gives this advice to Maximus, a gladiator intended for the ring of battle: "I was the best because the crowd loved me; win the crowd and you will win your freedom." He's talking of the power of spectacle, as a means to an end (i.e., Maximus' freedom). It is easy to see how this applied to not only the Gladiators of ancient Rome, but its politicians as well; Commodus is desperate for the love of the people (a.k.a. the vulgar mob) and the spectacle of combat shall bring that to him. Taking this strain of logic further, it most definitely applies to politics in contemporary society. Witness the "style-over-substance" approach of modern political campaigning. But nowhere does spectacle reign supreme more than... Hollywood blockbuster movies! Of which "Gladiator" is most definitely one. Neat trick, no? Kind of a gutsy move, biting the hand that feeds and feeds and feeds you.

So how do we judge this movie as spectacle? Pretty good, I'd say. From the opening bloodbath in Germania ("Unleash Hell," Maximus says, coolly), to the multiple battles in the Colosseum, director Ridley Scott handles the action with great style. The sheer size of these battles is impressive enough, and the action does its very best to measure up. If you are a fan of watching appendages sliced from bodies, or ever wondered what sound a sword would make when plunged into the torso of a Roman, then you won't be disappointed. And except for a dubious decision by one of the characters that sets up the film's climax, the story was handled well. Sure, it aims for Shakespearean and misses. But what summer blockbuster even gets this close to the Bard? It's a poor man's mixture of 'Julius Caesar', 'Antony and Cleopatra', and even 'Hamlet'.

Ridley Scott seems to have taken a cue from Jerry Bruckheimer (who's produced five movies directed by brother Tony), by casting a boatload of quality actors to read from a script who's main function is to quickly deliver the audience to another action sequence. All of the actors make the best of what they're given. Joaquin Phoneix as Emperor Commodus is suitably creepy, whether he's visibly lusting after his father's power or his sister's body. Richard Harris as said father is majestic as the dying Marcus Aurelius. Connie Nielsen as said sister is cunning and thoughtful as the daughter who, if she'd have been born a son, would have made a fine leader. Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, and even Derek Jacobi show up in small, but pivotal roles, lending authority to the proceedings.

But there would be no spectacle, no "Gladiator", with out Russell Crowe. I am ever amazed at the amount of visceral intensity this man burns on screen. I tried to picture someone else in this role, but couldn't. Who has his combination of physical power and grace, charisma, and quiet dignity? I wouldn't have been surprised if the filmmakers had mounted the Colosseum itself on his sturdy shoulders, in one last fit of Apollo-like spectacle. It would definitely be a fitting end to a fine piece of entertainment such as this.

Rating:
Summary: Deriving Greatness From A Punchline
Review: "Gladiator" could just as easily have been a bad film. When was the last time we even heard of a movie about gladiators? Hadn't it become a joke? "Do you like movies about gladiators?" Isn't that what Peter Graves, playing a perverted airline pilot, asks a ten-year-old boy in the first reel of "Airplane"? Sword and sandal epics had become a Hollywood terror. There was "Ben Hur" and "Spartacus", but then Italy stuck their profiteering fingers in the pie and gave us a parade of terrible films that would forever disgrace the genre... Until now.

Ridley Scott, though skeptical at first, decided to take upon himself the challenge of crafting an old-fashioned epic that would enthrall audiences in the same manner that those aforementioned classics did. And he succeeded. "Gladiator" is, honest to God, Scott's best film since "Blade Runner". It's also his first major blockbuster.

And, man, does it DELIVER! It offers a grand spectacle as well as a classically structured tale about honor and heroism. Few films can get away with being so, well, masculine. Scott's handling of the battle scenes is terrific. They are electric, exciting and oh so very bloody. Egad! What a thrilling mess! Shot with elegance and adorned by a wonderful musical score (by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerard). And then you have the cast. Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius, the ailing Caesar of Rome, about to appoint a successor to his throne. But it wont be his rather amoral and conniving son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). There is also Oliver Reed in his final performance as the slave trader Proximo. Reed brings such flavor and character to his supporting role, that he nearly walks away with the picture. It's a grand and eloquent swan song performance that reminds us all of what a great actor he was and how much poorer we are for losing him. It's really too bad that he had plummeted into near obscurity before this. "Gladiator" would have made for an exquisite comeback.

In other key supporting roles - BBC favorite Derek Jacobi as a just Roman senator, Connie Nielsen as Commodus's benign and stronger-than-she-seems sister and Djimon Hounsou (who made such an impact in Spielberg's underrated "Amistad".) as a noble gladiator. This is a very well-rounded cast. And at the center of it all is the star- Russell Crowe, one of the most exciting actors to appear in the last decade, proving once and for all that he can carry a picture. As Maximus, he delivers a performance of great richness and depth. This is a classic hero that you really want to root for, and Crowe has a gift for communicating his inner pain. He has been disgraced, his family has been murdered. He wants vengeance, but he also wants to set things right for Rome in the process. I love the little nuances that he brings to the role. The way he rubs sand in his hands before each battle (a detail that was not in the script). All great stuff. With his ruggedness and everyman qualities, Crowe could end up being a Harrison Ford-type role model for a whole new generation of young moviegoers. But, in difference to Ford, Crowe has proven to be more of a risk taker. Playing diverse roles in less commercial films.

You really can't ask for a meatier and more satisfying blockbuster. The screenplay gives its characters plenty of grand melodramatic dialogues. Particularly the scenes given to Phoenix. If Crowe is the star, then Phoenix is the breakout success of this film. Here we have a young actor who walks in the shadow of his late brother River Phoenix. But you want to know my opinion? Joaquin is a richer, more complex actor than his brother ever was. It isn't easy to portray a villain like this. Instead of going for the easy way out and making him an out-and-out baddie, he makes him a complex and tragic figure. An ambitious young man who is riddled with insecurities and deep down only wants to be accepted. And his whispery delivery of key dialogues makes him menacing yet sympathetic.

"Gladiator" may not be perfect. I mean, that melodrama can get a bit overbearing at times. And it makes for a couple of unwanted lulls when the film should just keep moving. But overall, Scott has put the whole package together so well, that one way or another you get caught up in this little Roman soap opera whether you like it or not. One might want to argue at the complete historical accuracy of it all. But it feels pretty real. And watching those battles, I couldn't help but make a connection to Wrestlemania... Think about it. These gladiators were in fact star athletes weren't they? The film's way of handling that aspect of the story is so infectious, that by the time Maximus shouts at the coliseum: "Are you not entertained?" one almost feels like cheering right along with the crowd.

The spectacular box office success of this film makes one think that there just might be hope out there for quality enterainments. I mean, vapid idiocy can be good for a laugh sometimes, but movies shouldn't always be mere products.

Rating:
Summary: Galdiator Rocks
Review: Forget the comparisons to "Braveheart," this film should be judged on its own merits.

If you want to find fault with this movie, there are certainly opportunities to do so, but, in my opinion, this movie is a rare gem with only minor flaws.

Regardless of what critics might say, if a film has a lasting emotional and visceral impact on me, then I will strongly recommend it to others.

The combination of stunning visuals, a moving musical score, and top-notch acting are the reasons why I ran out to buy the DVD (get the 2-disc set) when it was released. There are few movies that I would want to watch more than one time. Two examples are "Braveheart" and "Boys Don't Cry." Both excellent films, and very moving, but once is more than enough.

By contrast, I can never get enough of Russell Crowe ("Maximus") or Ridley Scott (the Director) who are the real stars of this film.

Ridley Scott is a genius for transporting the viewer to alien worlds whether they are in the far future ("Blade Runner") or the distant past, as he does here in Gladiator.

If you are guy and the opening battle sequence does nothing to get your blood pumping, then you are, as Maximus exhorts his soldiers in that scene "...already dead."