Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 4.0
A masterpiece of film art
I loved the way this picture draws the viewer into ancient Rome, and dramatizes the vastness of the empire and the city. I loved Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of the emperor Commodus as a young man on the very edge of sanity. But the movie would not have won an Oscar without the unconventional artistic touches: the use of musical and visual motifs to recall early parts of the story; the use of color and contrasts in the final scene; and the manner in which Maximus's wife and son are depicted when he returns home.I'm especially glad that the writers and director resisted the temptation to throw in "silly" scenes (like the ridiculous mooning scene in "Braveheart"). "Gladiator" has no comic relief at all, so that you get the full impact of each scene.Criticisms: First, Russell Crowe's performance is almost entirely physical. He spends most of the movie leaning on the performances of other cast members. Second, It's unclear why the story continues after Maximus reveals himself to Commodus. I would expect the story to end there, but it doesn't. As for the historical inaccuracies, who cares? "Hamlet" isn't historically accurate either.If you buy the recording, be sure you have a big screen to watch it on, because otherwise you'll miss the epic feel of the picture.