It Coulda been a Contendah!

Rating: 7/10 (14 May 2000)

Overhyped!
Gladiator is perhaps the most frustrating movie that I have ever seen. Expecting either an action-adventure popcorn movie, or Braveheart 2 I sat down with baited breath. However, the opening battle scene was completely uninteresting except for the special effects firepower. Then the movie slinks into a long series of poorly written scenes that serve no thematic purpose (no matter how much they pretend to) but are only there to forward the plot. I was almost entering REM sleep when the movie shocked me awake with something very strange, a well-written scene. Once Crowe is sold into slavery, we finally get some movie magic working. Oliver Reed and Djimon Honsou enter with well written characters and powerful screen presences. Strangeley Crowe's, Phoenix's, and Nielson's characters suddenly become more interesting as does the plot. The battles begin to have meaning, as does every word. I exstatically awaited the ending... only to see the writing go back to hell and end in a poorly handled, overly simplitic, and flat out bad ending. In 3 hours I saw a bad pseudo-epic turn into the next braveheart, only to give way to an ending only found in a bad action movie. The acting is fine, Crowe is a commanding screen presence and can bring dignity even the most horrible of lines. Reed's performance is gripping and wonderful, as is honsou in a very small role. Nielson is dignified and beautiful, Phoenix's characterization oscillates as much as his role does, but he is effectively complex and twisted. Unfortunately they were all wasted on a Great script wrapped in a horrible beginning and ending. It's worth a peek, but it should not be an Oscar contender.