Gladiator-Don’t Revolt Slaves Its Actually Really Good
Gladiator is not just one of the best “dude” movies ever made, it is a fine movie in its own right. Ridley Scott was amazingly successful in bringing a fine script by David Franzoni to life. The film is masterful on many levels ranging from cinematography to score to sound design. The CG events boarded on breakthrough and the fight sequences were tremendous. More importantly, and what distinguishes Gladiator from many other films of its kind, is that you care about the characters. The script and direction strives to make Gladiator’s characters the center of the story. It would have been easy in this type of film to have the characters become, well slaves to the CG and fight sequences. Scott combines every aspect of production to make a fine film that decades from now will be looked at as a classic and will be watched by generations to come. Of course, that is when a director knows it has been done right.
For some, the plot may get a bit confusing as aspects of the intrigue may leave you asking what is going on, but most of time one can piece it all together. In particular the major plot points are easily discerned. This may seem like an odd point to make, but as is so often the case in films centering on antiquity it is easy for the writer to lose the audience in the convoluted intrigue so often popular in these movies. Frazoni deserves some credit on that front.
Russell Crowe, plays a Roman General who is betrayed his family is murdered and he ends up in the arenas as a Gladiator. His acting performance is amongst his best to date and, baring some amazing part, Crowe may be most remembered for this film. The other acting performances in Gladiator are strong overall, however, Joaquin Phoenix is a little flat.
The CG and special effects do not steal the show as in many big-budget Hollywood picks, they enhance it, which is always pleasing. The gladiator scenes in the arena will, and perhaps this a commentary on far we haven’t come since the days of Rome, please nearly every audience member. The film does a so-so job showing the true brutality and viciousness of the Roman Empire and the gladiator games. It would have been nice to truly underscore how savage the so called Roman civilization was. Yes, they built roads and aqueducts that are still used today, but they did so via great human misery and exploitation. This is touched upon but just not enough. The people look too healthy, too well-feed for example, they have all their teeth, etc. But I will stop myself this as this is the problem I have with most historical epics. In the end, Scott simply does almost everything right and it all adds up to one of the most rememberable films in a long time. Despite my complaints about how antiquity is portrayed in cinema, Gladiator is simply a must see.
Story A
Acting B+
Visuals A
Originality/Innovation B+
Enjoyability Grade A-
Home Theater/HD Factor A- (A good surround sound system will really make this film come alive.)
Overall Grade A
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