drawn in by the war scenes, fascinated by the arena scenes, and captured by the valor!

Rating: 9/10 (18 October 2009)

Convincing and invigoration as all suspension of disbelief is snuffed in the opening treacherous battle of Germania 150 AD. Russell Crowe is commanding as heralded Roman war general Maximus whose moral compass is clearly fixated on family, strength and honor. His rescue from the dead is enthralling, if only to be enslaved as a potential Gladiator whipping boy. His story of revenge, catapulting him to the grand arena, seems as inevitable as his determination is contagious. Despite Crowe's Aussie accent and the pubescent and down-right creepy portrayal of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) all performances are come off empirical allowing the plot to develop, boil, and close with an every mans' belief of an afterlife, the soul of his mission.