Sadiator

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2008)

The acting was excellent. Russell Crowe deserved the Oscar he won. Joaquin Phoenix was very good as the incompetent Commodus. The rest of the cast was excellent as well. The movie was lacking in direction, sets, and continuity. There were some very interesting and original aspects to the film: Crowe's character was not one-dimensional. Neither was Phoenix's character. However, the direction was terrible and there were some implausible action sequences. In the Coliseum, we see a chariot attack upon huddled gladiators. The action seems confused, and rightly so. Play it out in slow-mo and you'll see gaps where people disappear and reappear. This jumbled computer generated mess looks pale in comparison to the live action scenes shot in the 60's. The part where Maximus throws his sword 100 feet to kill a guy was ludicrous; like a cartoon. The shots of the Coliseum were lacking. It was as if Scott couldn't afford to hire extras to be in the crowd. The sets seemed shabby and dark. The sequence at the beginning where the Romans fight the Barbarians was very well done and memorable. Too bad this quality could not last throughout the film. The ending was not satisfying enough. Maximus should have rammed the sword down Commodus' throat. I'll close with repeating that the computer generated action sequences were poorly done. The action was too fast for the eye to see and, if viewed in freeze frame, very deceptive and phony.