An exciting hack and slash movie, but little else

Rating: 6/10 (15 May 2000)

Billed as an epic (and certainly long enough to be one), Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" had me anxiously waiting for its release for almost 3 months. Imagine -- Spartacus meets the modern movie techno-wizardry! The potential was enormous.
The opening scene, with its hundreds, if not thousands, of soldiers, overwhelmed me by its sheer magnitude. Scott captures the fear, bloodiness, and brutality of war while at the same time, embuing Gen. Maximus (Russell Crowe) with an amazing gift for leadership. The repulsive beauty of violence has rarely been captured as well on film.
Though the action scenes were amazing, the plot left me wanting more. The superb acting by Joaquin Phoenix as Emperor Commodius was skillfully complemented by Connie Nelson's Lucilla, conveying to us their tension-filled relationship. However, the basic premise of paternal neglect begetting cruelty never truly sells. Kudos to Phoenix for valiantly trying to rescue this crucial plot weakness with his acting skill.
Crowe remains, throughout the movie, nobly removed from the rest of humanity. This is both his strength and weakness, as his relationship with Lucilla was unconvincing. Though both actors were great individually, their on-screen chemistry never truly smoldered. Not enough attention was paid to their history and I left the movie wanting more.
"Gladiator" begins on a strong note but fails to capitalize. If you're looking for a great modern epic, stick to "Braveheart" or "Saving Private Ryan." Excellent action and CGI can only compensate so far for weak plot development.