Masterful historic epic

Rating: 10/10 (17 June 2002)

Brilliant acting, brutal battle sequences, and a concise story propel "Gladiator" to epic status, making it quite possibly the greatest epic of Ancient Rome ever filmed, rivalled only by "Spartacus".
Russell Crowe proves himself to be one of the great actors of our time as he plays General Maximus, a man who only wants to live a quiet, peaceful life with his family. Instead, Maximus is hailed for his abilities in battle, first on the battlefield as he helps Emperor Marcus Aurelius expand the Empire, then in the gladiator arena after he is betrayed, sold into slavery, and forced to kill for the entertainment of the barbaric masses. Crowe shows us the General's quiet desperation to get home after the battle in Germania, his unimaginable shock at finding his family murdered, and his intense desire to avenge his family by killing Commodus, a range of emotions that many actors these days have trouble playing convincingly, but which Crowe handles perfectly.
But a hero is only as good as his nemesis is bad, and Joaquin Phoenix portrays the insane Emperor Commodus flawlessly. Commodus is shown as more than a crazed dictator; he is shown as a young man who wanted to feel love from his father, but couldn't, even when his father tried to express his love for Commodus. His unsettling passion for his sister makes the audience dislike him, but his apparent love for his nephew makes him seem human, until he threatens the boy near the end. The audience comes to hate Commodus, but there is also a feeling of pity for him, and that is a hard balance for an actor to maintain. Phoenix shows that he has a long, impressive career ahead of him, and in my opinion, he should have been awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar when he was nominated for this role.
Everything about this production is remarkable, from the almost Wagnerian score to the jarring choreography and cinematography of the battle sequences. A true masterpiece of movie making.