Epic tale of power struggle in Rome set c.180 AD

Rating: 8/10 (28 March 2001)

The opening scene of gladiator is a telling moment in the movie. General Maximus is thinking of being home on his farm with his family. This thought is captured in the picture of Maximus running his hand through ears of wheat while standing in a field planted with that crop. The scene cuts to Maximus in a forest in Germania on the eve of a battle, for a moment he sees and contemplates a robin as if with a friend, this is man of interesting qualities. What follows is a bloody battle sequence in which Maximus kills and maims and is nearly killed in turn. Life for Maximus is brutal, cruel and dark and yet we have seen he is not. Who is this character?
Enter the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Richard Harris on a good days work, to congratulate Maximus. Cometh also the emperors son, Commodus and daughter, Drusilla, effectively the royal family, and a retinue of Roman politicians. How does Maximus deal with the political intrigues of a great empire, he fights wars is the answer so he doesn't need to. But now he is placed in a position where he must take sides. He becomes a victim of intrigue and ends up a slave, a gladiator living with the possibility of death, daily.
Gladiator is the story of the intrigues of Rome, of Maximus' fight for revenge and how one man can defy an empire. Spectacular in its settings, with the city of Rome and it's Colliseum recreated with computer graphics as a backdrop, Gladiator is big screen cinema. The stunning images of director Ridley Scott capture a gritty and harsh time while displaying the beautiful light and colours this director is renowned for. Incorporating bloody battle scenes set to the equally impressive musical score done by the experienced Hans Zimmer and enchanting music of Lisa Gerrard, this movie is the work of a good team who know how to show the talents of their craft.
Coming in at just on two and a half hours in length, Gladiator is the tale of slave versus master, of a spirited man versus a man twisted by power into a hateful tyrant, of worthy leadership against fearful controlling ambition. It is a film of great drama, with spectacular set piece battle scenes interspersed with intelligent dialogue and interesting and plausible characters. It is not necessary to undergo a crash course in Roman history to appreciate the story, which is heavily dramatised and largely fictitious, though the impact of the civilisation of the time needs to be appreciated if the movie is to suitably interest you.