Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 3.0
Maybe it was all the hype . . .
Thwarted numerous times from seeing this in the theatre, I happily scooped up "Gladiator" when it came out on video. The reviews were uniformly good, friends who had seen it rated it a solid thumbs up, and I'm a huge Russell Crowe fan, so I settled in with my popcorn, ready to enjoy.And . . . I liked it. I didn't love it. Visually, it's a very striking film, although at times Ridley Scott lays on the effects a little too thick. The performances, most notably by Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, are good, although Connie Nielsen's presence in this otherwise male-dominated drama seems to be superfluous (her costumes are great, though). But what keeps this in my mind from becoming the masterpiece some claim is the screenplay--or lack thereof. Crowe said in an interview that they essentially started shooting with no script, and it shows. The dialogue is often stilted, despite some good lines ("At my signal, unleash hell" is already a catch phrase of sorts), and the plot turns can be seen coming for miles. As for the history, well, Hollywood's never been a fountain of accuracy, and they certainly aren't going to start with "Gladiator." Crowe looks tremendous in a breastplate and tunic, by the way.Many have put "Gladiator" on the same level as "Braveheart". I will too, but for a different reason--like "Braveheart", "Gladiator" is a very heavy-handed historical drama that came out in a kind of a down year for good films. Not that "Gladiator" isn't entertaining--it is, most definitely--but it isn't Oscar-caliber filmmaking. That doesn't mean it won't get some Oscar nods when the time comes, though. Enjoy it, but don't elevate it to something it's not.