Excellent production lacking passion

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2000)

Gladiator is worth seeing more than once just to take in the historical detail, the awesome use of CGI to portray a world long gone, and for good performances by Russell Crowe, Richard Harris, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and the late Oliver Reed. Fans of battle scenes and history should flock to see the nice illusion of authenticity that director Ridley Scott weaves here, which promises to bring back the golden days of the historical epic. It lacks, however, an essential passion that drives each character. On the surface, Russell Crowe seems to have many motivations, revenge for one. He glowers through this entire movie. Yet I did not feel much rage between he and his nemesis, Commodus, as the story dwelled more on the politics between the Senate and the Republic, important historically, but not developed here in terms of a human story that had meaning to the common person or to the characters involved. This is a typical Ridley Scott movie. An impeccable production without a centre.