Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
Shadows and Dust!
Gladiator is an amazing film on many levels: it is a broad, expansive, epic movie that has not been attempted in many years in Hollywood...that has an amazing center in the character of Maximus (Russell Crowe), who falls victim to the ambition of the illegitimate Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). On the other hand, it can be very personal and intimate at times...witness the very first scene, where we see Maximus daydream of being home, running his hand through his farmland. Or the various scenes where we see him wrestle with his desire to avenge the death of his wife and son while attempting to rid Rome of the vile Commodus. This is a film that is absolutely riveting from beginning to end; it is impossible to overstate the impact that Hans Zimmer's score has on the action...and the heart-wrenching emotion from Lisa Gerrard's voice harkens back to Titanic. If you haven't seen this...I suggest you do as soon as possible!