Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
Family, values and loyalty
This is the first rated "R" movie I've seen that did not have one foul word or any gratuitus sex scenes and built its foundation on postive values even when confronted with such horrible, cruel power. Russell Crowe truly represented all those great things we would like to be ourselves. Joaquin Phoenix's acting exploration into the character of Commodus was artful. The graphics were, of course, great and gave an astounding "view" of Rome at its height of beauty at its depth of immorality. Zimmer's music brought out the scenes with thought provoking melodies, orchestration and rhythms (e.g. waltzing during a battle) that helped carry the broad strokes of the story, the acting and the directing. Few movies compel me to watch it again and again, but this one is it! To have all the background information via DVD will be an absolute plus to any movie afficianado's collection.