What was the academy thinking?

Rating: 7/10 (2 February 2002)

It has taken almost eighty years, the academy has finally awarded best picture to a genuinely bad movie. I, and avid movie-goer, have never once disliked a best picture winner, some were better than others of course, but none that I can recall were as tedious and insipid as Gladiator. There is really only one reason to like this movie, and that is if you visit the theatre because the slaughterhouse is too far. All this movie has to offer is blood and guts. There is no redeeming dialogue or exceptional acting throughout, and I am a fan of Russel Crowe. The problem is that Scott gave Crowe absolutely nothing to work with. Maximus is a conventional hero, nothing more. He spews typical, audience cheapening one liners and Ridley Scott expects us to be moved, c'mon people, it's time we woke up and began appreciating good, unique film making, unlike this formulated garbage.