Nothing to Crowe about

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2000)

There are many good things about Gladiator. Foremost is the costuming. I've only seen better once before (The Cook, the thief, his wife and her lover.)There is a good chance it will be rewarded for this. Joaquin Phoenix can feel proud of his work. Seen Mad Max? Well so has Crowe and I feel he could have done better, but as it stands my heart was racing 2 or 3 times during this movie so he carried it off. The opening battle is pure cinema and hits the mark but from there the plot drags. I had no problem with the camera work that others have complained about. I felt it successfully represented what it was intended to. Overall it seems to me that Gladiator could not overcome the restrictions it placed upon itself: it wanted to recreate both Rome and and the Roman movie and the idea is solid but old ideas and money are rarely enough. Nice try. 7/10