Gladiator [Blu-ray]

Roger Ebert complains of people with short memory spans praising this film while forgetting that films like Spartacus have supposedly done this before. Well, I have a good memory, and I remember Spartacus. In fact, I kept on remembering that film while watching Gladiator, only in the context of, "This is so much better than Spartacus. It goes beyond." The action is better, the visuals are better, the story is better, and the acting is better. Sorry, Kirk.

Since this is an action film, the story isn't the most important element, but for an action film it is actually quite good. For one thing, I liked the disturbing under-the-surface incest element going on between Commodus and Connie Nielson. Furthermore, it was interesting to see how Crowe gained support among the gladiators until it became as if he were a general leading his army again. The plot itself needed to be there in order to fully create a sense of grandeur. With its insurrection story, the rise of the hero and his trek to the capitol of Rome, and the look at the people in power, the plot creates a sense of time-and-place necessary for an epic that couldn't exist with the visuals and action alone.

The acting is among the best one can ever seen for an action film, and there is plenty of fine dramatic work pulled off by the two main actors. Russell Crowe is now one of the best "new" (four or five films so far) actors in film. We believe, in his glances and the ways he delivers his many great lines, that he is Maximus. He is poignant, hate-filled, and sorrowful all at once. The praise he is getting is deserved. But why isn't Phoenix being lauded just as much? He carries the film in the second-largest role just as well as Crowe. His Emperor Commodus isn't a good villain and has no real character, but Phoenix adds so many layers to him and turns him into a great antagonist that that alone makes his performance excellent. He commands attention just as Crowe does. All by himself (no help from any great dialogue or development), he creates a villain that is prissy, whining, ambitious, pathetic, and malevolent, and worthy of our hate as well as our pity. It's a wonderful transformation. To sum it up, the characters themselves aren't really developed at all- but the acting is so good that it seems they are.

Now, onto the action, which, as I had hoped, is plentiful and intense. It has diversity and grandeur. All the fights were fast, hard-hitting, uncensored, and very bloody, which is what they should've been like. And every single fight sequence is unique from the others. There's the match where two men fought chained to each other, the opening war battle, Maximus vs. numerous other fighters, and the final sword duel, to name a few. This is so much more than just two half-naked men fighting with swords, which is what it could've been. The film also captures the feel and the motion of combat. Ridley Scott speeds up the film slightly during fight scenes to show the chaos and rapid reflexes necessary to survive. During the fight scenes, the camerawork is nonstop and covers the combat as one big blur to the fighters. (But we can still follow the fights themselves.)

This film also stands out in my mind as one of the most visual, image-driven action films I've ever seen. Thanks to Ridley Scott, practically every scene is jammed with wonderful detail, art direction, even distinct lighting (the Collosseum orange, other parts of Rome dark blue). Just look at the wide multitude (seemingly infinite number) of battle masks, weapons, and locales. Cinematography is skillful and impressive. There are tons of memorable shots, like Maximus entering the ring with rose petals coming down on him like rain from above, Commodus' pure white battle costume (when he's being risen up on the platform he looks like a demented angel ascending to heaven), and the images used to represent Crowe's home- the gentle hand carressing the wheat reeds, the door to his house, etc. They had a surreal quality and each were bathed in their own distinct color. Excellent work, Ridley.

A very impressive film. So why can't all summer movies be this good? We'd be spoiled.

Ridley Scott has given the big screen some of its most important and enduring images from Blade Runner to Alien..on and on...he continues to amaze with his ingeniuty at getting his vision transfixed in our minds...no less so here...his use of digital imagery to create Rome and the Colloseum alive with spectators is riveting. Joachin Phoenix is a wonderfully tormented Commodus with his deep and unrequited cravings for love and approval from his sister and his father to his vicious malevolance towards Maximus...what a contrast. He is showing talent far beyond the youth of his years. And the appearance of several of my personal favorites added all the extra spice to a film I was already in love with from the first battle scenes in Germania. These additional screen luminaries and legends were Richard Harris, duly sincere and remorseful as Marcus Aurelius, Derek Jacoby as a Senator hopeful of a new Rome,and the wonderful Oliver Reed, in his last role,as an ex-Gladiator turned provider of human fodder for THE GAMES. WOW!!!This is a film NOT to be missed,and the story of a man to be remembered!!!

The rest of the cast does quite well. Joaquin Phoenix does a great job as the loathesome Commodus, at times when I saw it in the theatre he actually had people booing him or calling him a 'wuss' out loud but it was by no means against his acting in the movie, it was playing his character to the hilt.

The action scenes are done very well especially in the gladiatorial arenas. I felt the first war scene in the movie was a bit to choppy and moved around a bit too much. Still, I found myself tensed up and having to remember to relax, it is a movie after all.

The computer visuals add to the great action. The dawns in Rome are magnificently done, the costumes well made and each 'gift' the movie, such as Maximus' gladiator armor, is delivered with a strong background to it.

Sure to be an epic classic.

Having defeated the last hoard of Barbarians, sealing the lands for the Roman Empire, General Maximus (Crowe) had proven himself to be loyal to Rome and to its Caesar, Marcus Aurelius (wonderfully played by Richard Harris). As a result, the dying Aurelius plans to hand over the Empire to Maximus rather than his corupt son Commodus (Phoenix). Upon finding out that his father has named Maximus the sucessor to the throne in place of himself, Commodus becomes angered by his father's decission and takes matters into his own hands. Knowing that Maximus is a threat to him, Commodus places him under arrest and orders his guards to execute him in secrecy. Narrowly escaping death, Maximus rushes home to try to save his family from a similar fate, only to arrive after his son and wife have already been murdered by Commodus' troops.

With nothing left to live for and no where left to go, Maxiums eventually finds himself a slave to a former Gladiator named Proximo (Reed). Having gained his freedom long ago, he now purchases slaves to fight in the battle arena, betting for his experienced fighters and against his worthless fighters in order to make a profit. However, when Maxiums, feuled by rage and a need for vengance, easily defeats all whom he encounters, surpassing all other fighters in every way, Proximo realizes that there is something different about this man the other slaves call "The Spaniard". And when Commodus, the new Caesar, initiates the Gladiator games in commemoration of his late father, Maximus, who Commodus believes is dead, is determind to go Rome, where the games are being held, and take revenge on the man who took everything away from him.

Connie Nielsen who playes Lucilla, Commodus's sister, is the sole female character in this male dominated film. However, she holds up very well with Phoenix and Crowe during their numerous dialogues and shows great talent in each scene as both sister to the Caesar and mother to her eight year old child Lucius (Spencer Treat Clarck).

Djimon Hunsou (Amistad) also appears in the film as a fellow slave/Gladiator who becomes friends with Crowe, helping him complete his goal of taking his revenge on Commodus.

And Director Ridley Scott, most well known for his Sci-fi/fantasy flick Blade Runner, has brought Rome and all it's spectacle, glory, and gore to the big screen in a way that puts it along side classics like Ben Hur and Sparticus. It has quality, quantity, and a uniqueness to it that makes it worth the $9.50 price for addmission.

All in all, this movie reigns supreme in my book. Visually stunning, wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, and superbly directed. If people want to see how a great action/drama movie is made, then this is the movie you gotta see.

Revuman: Live by the sword, die by the sword, but eat first...peace!