Highly UNDERrated

Rating: 10/10 (21 May 2002)

I was reviewing the comments above and was surprised to see that most of them were derogatory or lukewarm about the movie. There are some who call it an action flick and some who call it Oscar fodder, and truthfully, it is both. But even if you don't see all the different aspects that come together to make this movie so wonderful, the Academy did. There are REASONS that films win Oscars, in case you didn't know. **Possible spoilers, somewhere in the message, yeah yeah...** First, let me say that my opinion was extremely biased against the movie in the first place. I was feeling sore that Russell Crowe beat out Tom Hanks for Best Actor, and didn't even bother to see Gladiator to see if it was justified. Before I saw this movie, I was grumbling, "Piece of crap...Russell Crowe probably sucks...I know I'm gonna hate it." After...well, my tissue box was empty, my mouth hanging open, and my Tom Hanks posters in the trash. I had never cried at a single movie until this one. What really astonishes is the large percentage of people who seem to hate it. Perhaps they're automatically going against the Academy because it picks so many crappy movies, but this time it was right on target. Those people were right, Gladiator didn't deserve best picture of the year. It deserved best of the decade.
The blood and gore portrayed were real, and graphic enough to deserve an R rating. But they were not put there just for show. Every maiming/decapitation had its place in the movie. Partly why they showed so much gore is to chronicle Maximus' resignation to the fact that he must kill to survive, and not only that, but must kill in front of the bloodthirsty Roman public for entertainment to survive. He maintains a hearty disgust for it throughout the movie ("Are you not entertained?") but doesn't fight it. There is no controversy on that point. To think that all the arena scenes were completely pointless is wrong! Through them, Maximus gains the support of the people and enough power to topple the emperor.
Need I even mention the acting? Definitely! Russell Crowe deserved every praise he got, but there is one actor who didn't get praised nearly enough. Joaquin Phoenix. Most movie villains are corny or just plain evil, but Phoenix's Commodus is multi-layered and complex. He provides the perfect foil to Maximus, his dangerous insecurity makes him a loose cannon to compete with the gladiator's quiet confidence. By the end of the movie, I hated him with a passion; hated not only the character but hated him, so thoroughly did he immerse himself into Commodus. His insecurities make him all the more sinister, and as he was 'telling' Lucius the busy little bee story, he truly scared me. I was getting chills! I haven't seen him in Quills, but he was getting many compliments on that too. Let me just say that he's one of the best actors in Hollywood! British great Derek Jacobi delivers a sold performance as Gracchus, the pro-republic senator who enters the conspiracy against Commodus. Too bad he didn't get more screen time here, or something more remarkable to say and do. Derek is great in any movie, however! Connie Nielsen didn't really stand out to me; although there is certainly nothing bad about her acting, in a cast of such talent she was the status quo. Oliver Reed and Richard Harris complete the ensemble to make it the movie where everyone is an award-winner.
If you want something that truly shines, in story, setting, cast, special effects, and pretty much anything else you can think of, don't hesitate to watch Gladiator. You won't be disappointed!