Entertaining but silly...

Rating: 5/10 (30 May 2000)

Okay, it was entertaining... okay, Russell Crowe does know how to act and does have "le physique du role" to be the perfect gladiator... okay, both Richard Harris and Oliver Reed do shine in their roles... but how can so many people do not notice the flaws in this movie?
The screenplay? Almost non existent... The CGI effects? Good, but you can spot the fake in some of them even if you're almost blind... And what about all the historical mistakes? Commodus signing (with a pen!!!!) some documents (contracts?) apparently written on paper (but this is an old cliché)... again, a paper sheet advertising the gladiator fight (has Ridley Scott or his historical consultant any idea about how much did papyrus cost???) Let's not talk about the art direction and set decoration... is it really enough to fill any room with pillars and marble busts and statues to give a "Roman look" to a period picture? And was the Russell Crowe character so strong to walk around dressed as for a battle even in scenes where it was not required?... I could go on even longer, but let's stop here... I really expected an improvement over the movies of Hollywood's golden age, and it's sad to see that while computer graphics can do wonders, screenwriters and directors tend not to do it anymore...
Where's the spirit of the man who gave us "The Duelists", "Alien" or "Thelma & Louise"? Will it resurface in "Hannibal"?... Let's hope so...