Gladiator
Directed
by Ridley Scott
Story
by David Franzoni. Screenplay by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William
Nicholson
Starring
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris,
Derek Jacobi,
and
Dijmon Hounsou
154
minutes. Rated R. Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1. 2000
I had very high expectations for Gladiator. First of all, I'm a
big fan of Ridley Scott, who's given us the remarkable and genre-defining
films Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and White Squall.
Second, I -- like everyone else -- am a big fan of the unbelievable
Russell Crowe, of L.A. Confidential and The Insider fame.
Third, I'm a big fan of gladiator movies -- Spartacus remains one
of my favorite films of all time.
So it
was with relief and delight that I discovered that Gladiator can
be summed up in three words: big, magnificent, and beautiful.
Crowe
plays Maximus, a Roman general who is selected by the dying Emperor (Richard
Harris) to succeed him, much to the vexation of the Emperor's whiny son,
Commodus, played to perfection by the versatile Joaquin Phoenix (8MM).
Commodus murders his father and orders Maximus' execution before his father
announces his decision. Maximus escapes, only to be captured by a slave-dealer
who sells him to Proximo (the late Oliver Reed), an ex-gladiator who now
trains gladiators himself to fight and die in the ring.
Nothing
can describe Ridley Scott's skill in creating incredible visuals. His battlefields
are painted in blue, Proximo's ring is painted in yellows and reds, and
the glorious Rome is a steel grey. The magnificent ballet that unfolds
before these landscapes is what really stands out, though. The opening
battle sequence is both chaotic and dizzying, while the duels in the ring
remind one of Michael Mann's exquisite choreography in The Last of the
Mohicans, while at the same time remaining completely fresh and unique.
The spectacle of Rome and the magnificent coliseum are recreated with computer-generated
visuals that are only now and then identifiable as fake -- most of the
time, they look amazing. It's not the spectacle, though, that makes this
film great, nor is it the blood-splattering violence that one would expect
from a film about Roman gladiators. Rather, it is the raw human emotions
virtually pouring out of every character in every scene. Scott directs
a terrific cast to brilliant performances.
Crowe
really stands out as a fantastic actor here, and if you weren't convinced
that he's a star by his brilliant performances in L.A. Confidential
and The Insider, I guarantee you, you will be here. His Maximus
is a great character -- a man whose brilliance on the battlefield or in
the ring cannot hope to match the fierce love he feels for his family --
and Crowe brings him to life with startling ferocity. When he swears to
the new Emperor that he will have his vengeance, you believe it. And when
you see the pain in his eyes that comes from having his family butchered,
you can't help but share his loss.
And Phoenix,
as his adversary, does just as good a job creating a character you desperately
want Crowe to hack open with a big,
sharp sword. Commodus is reminiscent of Archibald from Rob Roy,
or of the young prince in Braveheart, but is somehow much more vicious,
more ruthless, then both of them put together. While his father and Maximus
personify all that was good and honorable about Rome, Commodus portrays
that which was evil and heartless in the ancient empire. The quietly beautiful
Connie Nielson is extremely effective as Commodus' sister, whose loyalties
may lie with her brother, with Maximus, or with herself and herself alone.
Rounding out the cast nicely are Derek Jacobi (Hamlet) as a Roman
senator who seeks the end of Commodus' reign, and Djimon Hounsou (Amistad,
TV's
ER)
as Maximus' fellow gladiator and friend.
The script
is good, moving the story along at a nice pace. None of the battle scenes
are gratuitous -- each is there for it's own reason, and the dialogue is
for the most part dramatic and realistic. That, combined with the terrific
performances I mentioned above, Scott's talented direction, and a powerful
and moving score from Hans Zimmer, and you've got a picture where all the
individual elements come together wonderfully to work together and create
a masterpiece the likes of which I haven't seen in quite a while.
Bottom line: Ridley Scott does it again, creating a terrific masterpiece
with great characters, real emotions, fantastic action, and a powerful
finale.
My grade:
A
My advice:
Try and see Gladiator on the big screen, which'll do this big movie
justice.
Get the movie
poster!
