A Modern Epic

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2005)

(Possible Spoilers)
Gladiator could be considered the first great movie of the new millennium. It has story, it has history, it has romance, and it has action. But above all else, it has action.
Maximus (Russell Crowe) is the leader of Emperor Marcus Aurelius' (Richard Harris) legion in Germany. After a horrific battle to open the film, the Emperor is murdered by his power-hungry son, Commidus (Joaquin Phoenix) and Maximus is sentenced to die. After an amazing escape, Maximus returns home to find his family murdered and home destroyed. Next thing you know he's being sold as a slave to Proximo (Oliver Reed) a gladiator owner.
The film is filled with amazing battle sequences held in the arena and a story of revenge that nearly matches Ben-Hur's (1959). Russell Crowe does an excellent job as the betrayed servant of Rome and the ability Joaquin Phoenix shows as a truly insane emperor is amazing. This film has some of the best acting I have ever seen.
The film won (If memory serves me right) numerous awards and gratitude from critique's. The Colliseum is a tad to big compared to its actual size yet the director is still able to show how advance the Roman's were when it came to construction, battle tactics, and government. The look of Roman society is a bit off but it does not matter as that is not the focus of the film.
Gladiator. Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, and Oliver Reed. 5 out of 5 Stars.