Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
An amazing epic
First I guess I should warn you that if you couldn't take Saving Private Ryan's violent battle scenes, Gladiator may not be for you. But I hope that those of you in that category can get over it, because Gladiator is a wonderful movie. It is by far the best movie of the year, possibly even the past few years. From all angles it is superb, from costume design and musical score to special effects and the sets, and the cinematography as well. The acting is fantastic. Even lesser characters turn in finely tuned performances. Russell Crowe deserves an award for his portrayal of Maximus, the honorable ex-general who must fight his way to freedom and revenge. But Joaquin Phoenix steals the show as the insecure, shiftless emporer Commodus. He makes the new emporer a complex, multi-layered character that is very interesting. In less capable hands the part would have become a mere campy run-of-the-mill villain that would have been an insult to a movie as good as this. The movie's themes of honor and devotion are portrayed well. All of the good aspects of this movie far outweigh the violence, so I hope that you are willing to give it a chance.