A good film...but better than Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon?

Rating: 5/10 (29 March 2001)

I truly enjoyed Gladiator, Russell Crowe gave a good performance and the brutal fight scenes made for an action packed couple of hours. But I didn't see too much depth in the film, Maximus = good Commodus = bad seemed to pretty much sum up the story while barely touching on the complex Roman political system or having any kind of character development.
When compared with a film like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon with its protagonists changing throughout the film ( Li Mu Bai realizing his wasted chance for love and Jen searching for her own destiny). Not to mention the complex relationship between all the characters, I find it difficult to justify gladiator being nominated for a academy award let alone winning over crouching tiger!
I have seen gladiator a few times and so far its proving not to be a rewatchable film, even the beautiful CGI renderings of Rome don't seem so great after the second time. But in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon there are so many levels and details, each time I watch I find something new.
Gladiator serves its function well as a action movie but not as Oscar winning material (In my mind).