Good, but not great

Rating: 6/10 (21 May 2000)

I thought that there were many good things about this film, but the story played like an episode of All My Children, and plot holes leaked the rain from outside into the theater (if he could escape being executed by the soldiers ... why couldn't he escape being forced to be a Gladiator?). I think Russell Crowe did a good job, but nothing about the Maximum role required him to act that hard. The best moment for him in the film was when Lucious approached him in the Gladiator holding cage ... very genuine acting. This film need more humour and tender moments. The biggest problem I had was believing the ending.