An overrated, grotesque commentary on the 'Civilized' Romans and the folks who love to watch them

Rating: 1/10 (7 January 2004)

I suppose that any movie with excessive violence and a passable soundtrack can now officially qualify as 'great' in our society, so it should come as no surprise that 'Gladiator' is critically renowned. Still, did we have to witness a grinning seven year old boy being trampled ruthlessly by horsemen? Did we have to hear the line "They tell me your son squealed like a girl as he was nailed to the cross, and that your wife moaned like a whore as she was ravaged over... and over... and over again?" Thank you, Ridley Scott.
It's sad that people are so casually able to dismiss stomach-churning moments such as these in the film...for what? For a supposed hero's hollow 'vengeance' that may or may not ever come to fruition? For Russell Crowe's rugged (cough) good looks? Whatever the reason, it's bad enough that the average audience continues to have such a fascination with 'bloodlust', but that gratuitous violence towards children (even though fictionalized) now passes as part of the overall entertainment package...what does that say about us as a society?