A disappointment

Rating: Null/10 (8 May 2000)

This picture had a lot of buzz, and I went to it with more than a little goodwill. Ridley Scott has directed THE DUELLISTS, ALIEN, and BLADE RUNNER, among other pictures, and he has one of the best camera eyes in the business. The first 45 minutes or so are extraordinary, the snow in the German forest, a bunch of guys in leather skirts and bronze armor chopping each other up, flaming arrows flying into the trees, and the cinematography is to die for. You forgive the weak spots in the characterization, or the laborious way the plot points are laid in. But then it collapses of its own weight. It reminded me a little of John Boorman's EXCALIBUR, which was also way over the top, but in the end XCALIBUR's operatic qualities worked. GLADIATOR just ends up being preposterous. Russell Crowe doesn't embarrass himself, and Oliver Reed is terrific, but THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS it ain't. If you're going to make a costume picture, either pay attention to history and character, or do STAR WARS. GLADIATOR is good for guys between the ages of, say, eight and thirteen (and I'm not putting that audience down, either), but it's basically the same plot as FISTFUL OF DOLLARS. The hero gets mangled, and then he gets revenge. But Sergio Leone didn't put you to sleep between the fight scenes.