Good but can use a bit more intricacy in story

Rating: Null/10 (6 May 2000)

Historical movies based in ancient Rome are few these years and fewer still are those worth watching. Fortunately, the latest Gladiator came as a pleasant surprise. A good, although not perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon.
Throughout the movie I was astonished by the epic scale of the sceneries. From the epic battle in Germania to the computer recreation of the city of Rome, to the great battle arena, each scene are magnificent and beautiful. The actions are fast and furious; they are somehow bloody for a PG13 movie so parents please be warned.
The story is ordinary but functional enough to keep me interested for ~3 hours. No major logical flaws in the plot although the ending is a little cheesy. In many parts of the movie I was emotionally tugged by the powerful applications of music and imagery. The themes of loyalty, love, jealousy, and despair are very well conveyed to the audience.
The characters are well developed with many memorable and interesting casts, although I think it is somehow of an overkill to portray wickedness of Caesar. Overall the acting is good and small details like Maximus padding a fellow soldier on the shoulder really add depth to their personalities.
If you are a fan of movies like Braveheart or Saving Private Ryan, you should enjoy this one. I give this movie only 7/10, because there could be a better story, a more logical ending, and more believable villain.