Gladiator

Synopsis

Maximus is betrayed by the jealous son of the Emperor after his recent passing and is taken into slavery. He works to bring forth the will of the Emperor and return rule to the people.

Review

This is an oldy but a goody. Russell Crowe does an amazing job for a completely historically inaccurate movie. So I was watching this and guess it was the extended version because I saw some scenes I have NEVER seen before. Having watched those scenes, I agree they should have removed them as they just really slowed down the pace of the movie.

I remember watching this movie when I was younger and Joaquin Phoenix just creeped me out and watching it as an adult even more so. Just the way he talks, looks at his sister and her kid, the just weirdness of him really shows the level of acting this dude was working with in 2000. Going from this to seeing him in Joker or Signs is just nutty.

I also want to do a special shoutout to Djimon Hounsou. This guy is a POWER HOUSE. I remember seeing him in this and then a few years later seeing him in The Four Feathers from 2002 and this guy is solid. A woefully unrated actor that I would love to see in more things. Looking at his IMDB profile right now, I forgot he was "Midnite" in Constantine and in Blood Diamond. Like I said, power house.

Overall, the sets they did for this film you can tell 90% of them are real. The opening scene alone of the battle with the Germanians (I am pretty sure this is the accurate name since at the time it is "Germania" not Germany) is a monstrous feat that you rarely see these days since soon after this and the ever-increasing use of CGI. There is CGI in this film, and it does not age with time that well, but there are some scenes that the CGI isn't so blatant so it is acceptable.

My Rating

Overall, with Gladiator 2 coming out in 2024 (assuming it isn't delayed by anything/the strikes that just ended), this is a must-watch for anyone. The acting is solid, the story is engaging, and the movie is highly entertaining. This is a great movie to rewatch. It is an 8/10 mainly because it is aging.

Parental Rating

Blood, Gore, and Violence. Dad is in and Mom is not. There is really no redeeming quality in this movie about the true purpose of why Maximus even fights this fight other than revenge. While he does "return Rome to the people" or so it is implied, that is just an afterthought. There is no family value. Dad Approves, Mom Rejects.

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