Gladiator

Gladiator (2000) – Movie Review

Director: Ridley Scott

Screenwriters: David Frazoni, John Logan, William Nicholson 

Producers: David Frazoni, Branko Lustig, Douglas Wick, Laurie MacDonald (E.P.), Walter F. Parkes (E.P.), Terry Needham (associate)

Studios: Dreamworks SKG, Universal

Production Company: Scott Free Productions

Top Billed Cast: Russel Crowe, Jaoquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, 

LOGLINE: A great Roman General through a series of betrayal and bad luck ends up having to fight deadly battles as a gladiator slave.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Great film, but not one I find myself coming back to even though I own the DVD. I guess the violence and gore is part of that reason, 

STORY: The story works well brings enough originality to what is essentially a modern day Spartacus to make it interesting and even unique.

PRODUCTION: Big Budget Epic produced with style. That is to say it's everything you could want from a modern "tent pole" movie.

PERFORMANCE: Jaoquin steals the show as the snooty baddy. Richard Harris, the guy who would go on to play the first Dumbledore, is a great wizard-style mentor (grey hair, grey beard) and Russel Crowe will probably always be best remembered for this performance even if the role isn't as complex (i.e. good) as some of his others.  

OVERALL: Good movie, if you haven't seen it, it's worth a watch, if you have seen it it's worth a rewatch. Be mindful that the opening is pretty full on. Apparently historians reckon it's inaccurate, but it's not a documentary, it's a piece of entertainment and as far as that goes it's pretty entertaining.

MEETSLINE: Spartacus meets Cleopatra.

RATING:

3 1/2 out of 5 reels of film.

Movie Review by A.B. McBlogsmith the Backwards Cap Film Reviewer

(C) Review Flix 2011