Product: Gladiator [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 5.0
An Excellent Sword and Sandals Epic for 2000!
To begin, this movie is visually stunning. Upon seeing it in the theaters, scenes like the overhead shot of Rome and the colisseum simply leave the audience in awe. The DVD is excellent as well. Russel Crowe (Maximus) does a great job convincing us he is moral man with values, fighting against a corrupt government and emporor. However it was Jaoquin Phoenix (Commodus) who really caught my attention. His role as a tortured soul, who never felt loved by his father (Marcus Auerlius) even in his youth, echoed throughout the film. He is extremely convincing in his hatred and jealousy for Maximus. This film greatly parrelled the earlier epic "Fall of The Roman Empire" starring Sofia Loren (who played Lucilla). I recommend that film to anyone who loved Gladiator, as it had a direct influence on this film, including characters and plot.