Director
Ridley Scott (Alien) tries to take us back to the days of the glorious epic with
this sweeping, blood-drenched tale of honor, revenge, and politics. Russell Crowe
(The Insider) plays General Maximus, a courageous warrior who, through a horrible
set of circumstances, becomes a slave who's forced to compete in barbaric spectator
sports just to survive.
Gladiator
is beautiful to look at, the battle sequences are very dynamic and Crowe is more
than your typical hero--lending dimension and humanity to Maximus that is lacking
in most contemporary heroes. Joaquin Phoenix (To Die For) is also very compelling
as The Roman king. He's at once insecure, sympathetic, and sinister. Veteran actor
Richard Harris also turns in a powerful performance, although he is only in the
film for a short time.
Gladiator
is a bit disjointed and falters here and there, but it's a solid film from one
of our great directors. The film's message is its strong statement about our society's
lust for violence and in that sense, the film is quite interesting.
Gladiator
also has moments reminiscent of Saving Private Ryan, including a visceral and
ultra violent opening battle sequence that introduces us to the lead character--a
stoic soldier who just wants to do his job so he can return to his family. It
also reminded me a great deal of Mel Gibson's Braveheart. Although it lacks the
sheer power of Saving Private Ryan and the inspiration of Braveheart, it is an
entertaining film nonetheless.
Scott
fails to capture the striking visual imagery of his earlier films (Alien and Blade
Runner) but he has made a far superior film than the insipid G.I. Jane.
Gladiator
is a huge epic in the tradition of films like Ben Hur, and although it's not quite
a classic, it is an exciting time at the movies.
