As good as a concept movie gets/a perfect Verhoeven pic shot by Ridley Scott

Rating: 7/10 (30 May 2000)

`Gladiator` is the symbol of Hollywood`s renewed intrest in medieval subjects and stories.Since techno-thriller self-destructed under the burden of Hollywood`s commercial expectations enchant history became the new well of ideas for moguls.This is why `The 13th Warrior` hit the silver screen and why `Joan of Arc` got funding from Hollywood.`Gladiator` takes as back to the past when Western Civilisation wasn`t as great as we know it since the majority of people weren`t aware that there is only one God. `Gladiator` is the story of the Roman general Maximus who gets involved in royal plots during the time of Marcus Aurelius` reign.Because of his position he gets punished but he escapes death.Unfortunately his family gets slaughtered and he becomes a slave that ends up as a gladiator in Roman Arena.In Rome Maximus plots to avenge his family`s death and to take Roman Empire back to the right path. `Gladiator` is a competent return to`swords and sandals` mythology and the movie doesn`t fail where it`s predecesors did.It is expensive,large-scale story with great actors.Performances of Russell Crowe and Oliver Reed are especially enjoyable and Joaquin Phoenix really gives edge to the character of Commodus,the villain Emperor.Russell Crowe iz amazing and his acting really fits the epic scale of characters behaving and tragedy. Since `L.A.Confidential` it was obvious that Crowe is `the next big thing` and he finally proved it again in `Gladiator`. The script has fine moments but it is generally routine stuff.It isn`t edgy but it does make mistakes concerning history.I mean I ain`t no historian but authors avoid the religious aspect of the plot.Even though Crowe prays to one God while the young `Replacement Emperor` and his sister use plural in religious conversations. The ending is a nice idea but it is bad written and bad writing includes cheesy lines spoken by `as hard as it gets` Crowe. `Gladiator` also features a supportng role Djimon Hounsou the `Dream Works SKG nigger`(remember him in `Amistad` also made by `Dream Works SKG`?). Ridley Scott`s direction is mature and atractive and he proves true the thing Michael Mann said about him to Crowe(Mann said that Scott is among top two percent of shooters in business).His direction is inspired in visual sense and thus he gives us some hot sword fighting and animal action.The shots of Arena in all it`s glory are impressive and kudos also go to cinematographer John Mathieson who shot Kevin Allen`s masterpiece `Twin Town`.Ridley Scott can`t avoid the classic `Dream Works SKG` blueish colour orientation but this is a legit landmark of the studio.... Overall `Gladiator` is a must-see not because of it`s substance but because of the fact that it interprets some of the classic myths of human culture in the manner of a 100-million studio picture which is fine. I hope that great box-office result of this movie would boost production of such anticipated projects like Michael Mann`s `Spartans` with George Clooney and Verhoeven`s `Crusade` with Arnold Scwarzenegger. If Verhoeven had directed `Gladiator` it would have been a masterpiece.