I Weep For American Cinema

Rating: 3/10 (27 March 2001)

Everything there is to be said about this movie has already been said, so I will keep my comments brief. "Gladiator"'s musical score is breathtaking; the rest of the movie, in all other facets, is garbage. If you generally like what the majority of the American population likes, you will enjoy this movie. If you usually prefer films with competent direction (including action scenes where you might actually *GASP* be able to see the action), intelligent dialogue (it took three people to write this?!), professional acting (brilliant death scene Russell...you really deserved that Oscar), or special effects that seem even remotely realistic, you may wish to look elsewhere. The latest in a long string of inane Best Picture choices, this is by far the worst in the history of the Academy Awards.
The only consolation for myself and those who share my opinion is that in twenty years, "Gladiator" will come to rest in the same category as "Rocky" and "Kramer vs Kramer"--not that there were any "Taxi Driver"s or "Apocalypse Now"s released in 2000. If this is a sign of things to come, the future of cinema in the United States will be very grim indeed.