Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
Strength and Honor
Russell Crowe does an admirable job portraying Maximus, a general serving Marcus Aurelus, one of the last Ceasar's in Rome sometime around 180 A.D. Maximus is betrayed and ultimately ends up as a gladiator. A gladiator was a slave who was required to fight to the death against other such slaves. Sometimes it was possible to win your freedom.The overiding message of the film is that maintaining the virtues of strength and honor sometimes requires sacrifice and may ultimately lead to death. There is much graphic violence and I suggest you guard your mind because the movie presents a worldview full of ancestor worship, and 'all roads lead to heaven' philosophy. If you are searching for Truth you will not find it here. Also, I commend the producers for making a movie without even the briefest of nudity or unneeded sex scenes.For a movie extolling the virtues of strength and honor as well as being full of adventure I highly recommend this film. No movie, including this one is worth over ... so I would wait for the price to drop and rent it until that day.'The Gladiator' deserves a ten out of twelve on my rating scale and will soon, when the price drops, have a place on my top ten shelf.Semper fi & agape, Ed D.