A cliché that's not...

Rating: 10/10 (9 May 2000)

Let's get one thing straight. Gladiator is a clichéd movie. From its battle-scene beginnings to its battle-scene endings, Gladiator is predictable.
Ish. And that's where the excitement comes in.
Each time a new part of the plot, which is largely transparent, is introduced, you find yourself altering your perceptions of the characters, the situation they're in, and the possible pathways for the movie to travel along. And Ridley Scott does a great job, feeding tidbits to the viewers as they go, so they learn a little more about Maximus and friends as the movie goes on.
At 2½ hours, you'd want to be able to say the movie was engrossing. And it is. Looking back on it, I don't remember there being a great deal of dialogue. And it's not the Meet Joe Black kind of not much dialogue either. This dialogue is sparse because it can be - the story is *shown* to you, not told you.
A very entertaining movie. After the disaster that was G. I. Jane, Ridley Scott is back. And about time too.
Eight and a half from ten.