Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 3.0
Film of the actions, not the pages
Gladiator was the first in a series of recent successful Russell Crowe movies, and I think he started on not so bad a foot. The plot is centered on a general (Russell Crowe) who is loved by all, until the emperor's crazed son gets wind that Crowe is supposed to takeover instead of himself. As all jealous based plots go, Crowe is sent away and stripped of his old life. This is much like Dante in Monte Cristo, except for the fact that Crowe becomes a gladiator instead and has to find himself and "old Rome" through the games instead of a prison cell. It is an okay movie overall, but really the only things that made this movie interesting to me were the gladiatorial games themselves. I feel that the dialogue and basic plot overall is lacking, but I understand that the basic plot highlights the action, and therefore not meant to stand up to much criticism in the first place. Historically it is off too, but not everyone cares about that kind of thing these days, but if you do be warned. I would say this movie is worth a rental, and maybe on a personal level you will find it more exciting than me, but I would not just go off and buy it.