Movie Review - Gladiator

  Gladiator (2000)

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen

I can't believe it's been 13 years since Gladiator came out.  I still remember getting excited about the trailer for this movie that used Kid Rock music interspersed with clips from modern sports (Can't find it anywhere on YouTube unfortunately).  I also can't believe this movie actually won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Not that I dislike the movie (I don't), or that I actually put any stock in the opinions of the Academy (I don't), but I was genuinely surprised that a movie as "popcorn" as Gladiator would take that prize.  

It's definitely not the first time a mainstream blockbuster movie has won that award, but in 2013, when the last two Best Picture winners have been decidedly more stuffy flicks like The Artist and King's Speech, it's a little shocking that the 2000 Best Picture winner was a movie my high school self likely would have described as "awesome". Of course, it probably helped that the competition was Chocolat and Erin Brokovich, movies that haven't exactly lingered on in the collective consciousness.

Of course, there was probably more than a little "career achievement award" factor going on here as well.  The director of Alien and Blade Runner probably deserved a Best Picture nod as much as Martin Scorsese did in 2006 with The Departed. And Gladiator is an impressive movie, to be certain.  Ridley and his brother Tony have always had a flair for the visual aspect of film-making.  Even not so great Ridley Scott movies look amazing (see Prometheus), and Gladiator still looks phenomenal.  The opening battle and the shots of Rome and the Colosseum are all just as stunning today as they were 13 years ago.  The visual effects have held up really well.  

I described Gladiator before as a "popcorn" flick, and I believe that to be true.  It isn't a whole lot different in sensibility from Clash of the Titans (the new one).  What sets it apart is the quality of the action.  The battle scenes are well-choreographed and immensely visceral.  Gladiator also has some gravitas that separates it from other more forgettable action flicks.  That comes from the awesome script (yes, some of the dialogue is pretty over-the-top, but there are countless memorable quotations and one-liners), Scott's respectful handling of the material, and a couple of really great performances.  

Commodus (as played by Joaquin Phoenix) is legitimately one of the great movie villains of all-time, and I would have wagered anything at the time it would be the greatest performance of Phoenix's career (who knew he would go on to top it playing Johnny Cash of all people?).  Russell Crowe on the other hand will likely never surpass his work as Maximus, which isn't a bad thing at all.  He plays the role with an incredible mixture of menace, heartbreak, and fiery restraint that is absolutely magnetic.  I really couldn't imagine anyone else doing a better job than Crowe did in this movie.

Gladiator of course is not perfect.  I don't think it would have won Best Picture in a stronger year.  The movie is over-long, and really starts to drag in particular after Maximus unmasks himself to the Emperor.  The entire subplot between Maximus and Commodus' sister is pointless.  There aren't any standout performances outside of the two main characters (who are admittedly phenomenal .  And the movie, while mostly genuinely emotional and striking, occasionally borders on pandering.  Some of the battles scenes can also get a little confusing with all the quick cuts.  Those complaints are minor though, and overall Gladiator is definitely one of the classic films of the 2000s.

Verdict: 8/10