An Excellent Aspiration Reasonably Achieved

Rating: 9/10 (5 May 2000)

Gladiator, set in ancient Rome is as fine a Roman Epic as I've seen. The opening combat sequence is glorious for it's use of speeded up photography, perfectly capturing the mind numbing intensity such a battle experience must have been! And the implements of war you see on the screen are worth the price of admission alone. By it's end I felt I'd fought in the battle personally.
Russell Crowe is superb as Maximus, and to my estimation played a better epic hero than Charlton Heston ever did. Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of the Emperor Commodus is somewhat lacking in range, but, I am not sure whether it is his fault, or the fault of the script. I tend to suspect the script, because I enjoyed his performance overall.
Connie Nielsen ruled the screen as Lucilla, a part demanding incredible moments of subtlety, which the lady accomplished with aplomb. Oliver Reed, to our enormous good fortune, left us one last character, leaving out no detail with his wide range of skills.
There are drawbacks, but talking about those reveals the heart of the movie. Suffice it to say that Gladiator will give you as good as you expect.