Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 2.0
Over-hyped, Under developed, thinly veiled BraveHeart copy.
I have read articles where it is mentioned that Director Scott first wanted Mel Gibson as Maximus, but Mr. Gibson, feeling his years a bit, replied that he was to old and recommended Crowe as the best person for the job. So Mr. Scott lost Mad Max, But stole so many plot and scene ideas from Gibsons 'Braveheart', that if Gibson had appeared, this Hollywood pap festival might have been considered a sequel. How Crowe snared the best actor award for his gutteral, mono-syllabic General/Slave/Gladiator is beyond me. The myriad computer effects are so poorly done, that almost all the generated landscapes look like a childs water color. The fast/slow motion moments, the the realing camera work, all make for virtual indigestion. Crowe, after being enslaved, becomes even more reticent, and is the least impressive physically of all the would be Gladiators. Joaquin Phoenix plays the new Cesar on the Pax Romana block, and plays it very poorly. Scott seemed to want him to come off as a wicked, evil, back stabbing, incestious dog. Instead Phoenix is more a sniveling, cringing annoyance than a mad tyrant. The plot ,which is hackenyed and thin, is also incongrously slow. I think Rome was Built and conquered in less time then it takes for this dud to complete. Save your money, time and patience, because this movie isnt worth any of those.