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Gladiator
Russel Crowe - Maximus
Richard Harris - Marcus Aurelius
Joaquin Pheonix - Commodus
Connie Nielson - Lucilla
Oliver Reed - Proximo
Directed by Ridley Scott
Much has been said about this movie's merits (or lack thereof), so let
me begin by saying that my expectations for this film were based on ads
and trailers, and were completely wrong. Well known critics have complained
about a lack of plot and too much eye candy in this movie,but my reaction
could hardly be more different.
Expecting a non-stopbloodbath, I found that this film, although depicting a violent
and ruthless era quite graphicly, is completely plot- and character-driven. No
amount of action was unwarranted (Maximus is a General. What were the critics expecting?).
Similarly, no amount of violence was out of character, whether it was a panicked
arena slave or the paranoid lunging of Commodus Caesar.
In typical Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise) fashion, the audience
is expected to pay close attention to the art ofthe film as much as it's content.
The first and last scenes are handled brilliantly, answering questions about Crowe's
character both chronologically AND out of sequence. (Confusing at first, but when the
reason dawns on you...) I found other scenes very like Blade Runner in flavor-for example,
the scene in which Maximus drifts in and out of consciousness on the slave cart smacks
of Deckard's unicorn dream sequence in BR.
The plot is anything but predictable in today's Hollywood-type cookie cutter offerings,
which seem to spend more money on advertisements than on frivolous things such as continuity.
Emotionally charged and compelling, it pulled this viewer into the story by the empathy
Scott and Crowe create for the character of Maximus, as well as the pacing of the violent
scenes.
The back story of Commodus' ambitions on and off the throne entwines nicely with the main
plot, which could have easily gotten bogged down in touchy moral and political sermonizing.
It is in character development, however, that this film shines. Crowe, in particular, shows
his merit time and again. He evinces more conflict and emotional strain with a hollow-eyed
and tight-lipped stare than Bruce Willis could with a string of epithets. Willis can be
a fine actor (the Jackal), but my point is that Crowe's character is the whole movie
and action heroes typically trade acting ability for action abililty. Not Crowe. His
portayal of Maximus is at times bloodcurdling, and at others deeply touching. A fine job
by Russel Crowe, who handles his action scenes with as much polish as his dramatic ones.
The supporting cast has all too few real character-developing scenes (they mainly react
to what Crowe does or says) to stand out per se, with the notable exception of the Imperial
blackmail scene between Pheonix and Neilson- quite riveting. On a more sober note, I was
pleased to see a good solid performance by one of my favorite actors, the Late Oliver Reed,
whose take on the character of Proximo starts as self-absorbed and intense, and builds
to quietly noble. (Reed died in Malta during production. See Richard Lester's 1974 film
The Three Musketeers, starring Reed, York, Welch, Heston, Chamberlain, and many famous
others, for a thoroughly enjoyable and humorous tale based on the Dumas classic.) Crowe's
Maximus does not stand out as impressive due to any lack of talent from his supporting actors.
The score is a joint effort between Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard,
who has been nominated but not yet honored by the film industry with an award. Relentless
during the action scenes, soft and moody during Crowe and Nielson's scenes, it is a moving
backdrop for the film.
Overall, a very good movie. I particulalry enjoyed the lack of four letter dialogue.
Graphically and emotionally compelling, but I would not beat a dead horse by calling it
an "Epic". The age of Epics is long gone in cinema.The term is now a misnomer that fails
to remember the scope and scale of Ben Hur or Cleopatra. Instead, I would call Gladiator
highly recommended.
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