Powerful, Herculean Filmmaking

Rating: 9/10 (22 November 2000)

Director Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a stunning, powerful epic that boasts some fantastic visuals, a solid story, deep characters, intense fight sequences, and bravura performances, making it very likely to grab a few Oscar nominations. At the least, it's certainly the most entertaining film of the 2000 summer.
Russel Crowe stars as General Maximus, devoted to the glory of Rome and a successful military man. When the dying Emperor decides to appoint Maximus as his successor, scheming prince Commodus (a brilliant Joaquin Phoenix) decides to do whatever it takes to assure he will be the next Caesar. Maximus escapes his clutches, but then returns to Rome as a gladiator and wants to exact revenge upon the evil emperor
As Maximus, Russel Crowe shows he is not only a great actor, but a star: Gladiator virtually secures his stature as a leading man. His performance as Maximus is strong and emotional. Though his acting talent was proven when he played Bud White in Curtis Hanson's atmospheric L.A. Confidential, Gladiator proves he can carry a film as a major star. His character is also not a cardboard cutout and shows depth: the writers, thankfully, don't make Maximus a macho, indestructible killing machine and instead he shows sensitivity, devotion, power, and strength.
Thankfully, the writers do not forget the villainous counterpart and also give Emperor Commodus depth , replacing what could be the usual out-and-out tyrant character with a tragic, weak, and ultimately inept ruler. Joaquin Phoenix is brilliant as Commodus, in some scenes evoking pity for his character, only to become reviling in the next. While Gladiator can be seen as a star vehicle for Crowe, it can also be seen as a display of the fantastic talent Joaquin Phoenix has. His controlled, calculated performance is effectively cringe-inducing.
Director Ridley Scott not only gets great performances from the entire cast, but the visual effects employed are equally stunning. The magnificent views of Rome, the towering, hulking Collosseum, the brutal, striking battles, and intricate costumes all are used to immerse the viewer in the spectacle that was once Rome. While the story may drag a bit in a few places, the overall power is not muted one bit thanks to Scott's masterful helming of this powerful, entertaining film.
9 out of 10