50% spectacle, 50% cheese

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2000)

Well, it's safe to say that "Gladiator" is far from a disappointment. It'll also satisfy many, particularly fans of the sandle-epics of the '50's and '60s. Be forewarned, however, despite the innately cheesy dialogue and innane plot diversions, "Gladiator" is anything but an old-fashioned technicolor epic. If anything, "Gladiator" moves too far the other way, employing an MTV-generation editing style and visual aesthetic that is dizzying and, moreover, overstated. As well, Scott makes the dreadful mistake of beginning his film with a battle scene that is shot and edited in a fashion identical to the opening scene of "Saving Private Ryan," complete with washed-out colours, varied speeds of motion and muffled sound. If you can look over this, however, you're in for some truly spectacular Gladiator fight scenes in a cinematic mock-up of the Roman Coliseum and 2nd century A.D. Rome. Here, Scott's style shines, in much the same way it did with Blade Runner almost 2 decades previous. Rome's ancient architecture is rendered believably real, with the employment of special effect techniques that seemed frivolous and tiresome in last year's "Star Wars: Episode 1, The Phantom Menace." Strangely enough, the future of the historical epic looks bright. And so does Russell Crowe's career, mind you. He manages to ground the film with his character, even when it seems as if the plot is about to drift off into a cheesy abyss.