Thumbs: down!

Rating: Null/10 (11 June 2000)

As a silent movie "Gladiator" would be a milestone. A great photography and very good action scenes turn it into a visual experience. But dialogues and story are a complete loss. Only cliches and kitsch: Honourable warriors vs. corrupt senators; a father complex with greetings from Sigmund Freud and - as the highlight of kitschy boredom - Russell Crowe as the humourless super hero Maximus, who finally dies after giving a lecture. "Gladiator" and it`s characters are nothing else but a cinematic comic. The exception is Joaquin Phoenix as Commudus. The malicious emperor is the only interesting character. Such a pity that he does not win. The movie shows the technical opportunities to wake this genre again. But "Gladiator" is a sandal movie - a shoddy effort. T