Okayish, but not great

Rating: 6/10 (4 February 2017)

Roman General Maximus has everything going for him - he is a highly skilled and successful general, he has a wife and child whom he adores, the people love him and the aging Emperor loves him. The Emperor proclaims him his successor before he dies. However, this proves costly for Maximus as it creates tension between him and the Emperor's son, Commodus. Commodus has Maximus wife and child murdered. Maximus escapes before being executed himself, only to be captured and enslaved. He becomes a gladiator and fights to regain his status. Moreover, he is determined to take revenge on Commodus.
Pretty much a standard action/revenge movie, set in Roman times. Lots of fight scenes and not much else, including profundity.
Somehow won the 2001 Best Picture Oscar, beating, amongst others, the far-superior Traffic.