Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 1.0
A poor movie in the guise of an epic
Gladiator is a poorly directed movie with a weak script. The opening battle scene is horribly stylized and crude, consisting of scenes repeated at different angles and obvious use of computerized graphics. The gladiatorial combat scenes consists of quick cut-aways and unneeded close-ups which hide detail. A non-action scene in the movie involves a sequence of long, weary, and meaningless dialogue. The characters, especially Commodus, are poorly written for while the plot lacks structure. Russell Crowe does give a strong performance, which somewhat saves the movie. Ultimately, if we compare Gladiator to a good movie in the genre, such as Braveheart, its shortcomings become apparent.