Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 2.0
The most overrated movie of the last decade
"Gladiator" is an astonishing success -- and by that I mean that I am astonished by the level of success this mediocre flick has attained.Why are people so enamored of this film? Why was it even made? Clearly spurred on by the fortunes of the ultra-realistic "Saving Private Ryan" (which is infinitely better than this movie), "Gladiator" is a long, dull, boring slog through action sequences we've seen before in other, better movies.The obvious CGI is ugly, the photography dank and dark, the script ridden with cliches and the performances as stiff as nails -- including the lead performance of Russell Crowe, who is about as dour, joyless and inert as any actor I've ever seen in any movie. Mel Gibson played a similar character in "Braveheart" (lone man takes on the aristocracy to avenge the death of his wife), but with much more verve and energy than Crowe musters here. Crowe is a complete flop in this movie.But, people love it. It won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Actor (over "Traffic" and "Crouching Tiger"!). I remain baffled by the money and the kudos spent on this movie.