Gladiator
**1/2
Rated on a 4-star
scale
Screening venue: Odeon (Liverpool City Centre)
Released in the UK by UIP on May 12, 2000; certificate 15; 150 minutes; country
of origin USA; aspect ratio 2.35:1
Directed by Ridley Scott; produced by
David Franzoni, Branko Lustig, Douglas Wick.
Written by David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson;
from a story by David Franzoni.
Photographed by John Mathieson; edited by Pietro
Scalia.
CAST.....
Russell Crowe..... Maximus
Joaquin Phoenix..... Commodus
Connie Nielsen..... Lucilla
Oliver Reed..... Proximo
Richard Harris..... Marcus Aurelius
Derek Jacobi..... Gracchus
Djimos Honsou..... Juba
David Schofield..... Falco
Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" is an
interesting and attractive action movie, but not a very forceful one. It
needs to spend more time with the gladiator himself. This is a "hero out
for revenge" picture that keeps cutting away to its cardboard villain, just
as we're starting to cheer on the protagonist. It's like channel-hopping
between "Spartacus" and "Caligula".
Russell Crowe stars as Maximus, a Roman army general
under emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Marcus is so impressed by
Maximus's leadership that he appoints him as his successor. His son Commodus
(Joaquin Phoenix) is not best pleased by this news, as he himself had expected
to be next in line for the throne. Commodus kills his father, seizes power,
and orders the death penalty for Maximus and his family.
Of course, Maximus escapes this fate, but his
wife and child do not. Then Maximus is kidnapped and sold into slavery. His
master, Proximo (Oliver Reed), forces him to become a gladiator, and when
his military training leads to great slaughtering talent, Proximo takes him
to Rome, to perform at the Coliseum. There the crowd falls in love with him,
which forces Commodus into an awkward position; yes, he's found Maximus,
but he can't deal with him, because if he kills him then he'll lose the support
of his people.
The movie is basically taken up by Maximus and
Commodus doing a lot of plotting against each other, punctuated by lofty
speeches and gruesome fights. That is as it should be. The problem is that
we don't spend enough time with Maximus -- the film is divided pretty much
equally between him and the enemy, when it needs to be much more single-minded.
Look at "Ben-Hur" or "Braveheart" -- these films are driven completely by
their heroes' determination, and that's why we get emotionally involved.
Crowe gives a great performance as Maximus -- he has a penetrating stare,
commanding voice, muscular body and towering demeanour. He's a powerful,
passionate Hollywood lead, and we want to invest our care in him. We just
don't get the chance.
Because "Gladiator" never gets us wrapped up in
Maximus's struggle, the action sequences are not as tense or affecting as
they should be. We can't simply enjoy the excitement of the violence, either,
because it's not stimulating, it's sick. Roman bloodlust is one of the most
shameful things in history, and Scott, the director, presents it realistically,
throwing us into the middle of gladiator fights by way of giddy close-ups
and shutter speeds, while the chants of the despicable onlookers thunder
at our ears in stereo surround sound.
What we have here, ultimately, is one amazing
piece of acting and several flourishes of wonderful technique, spoiled by
unwanted distractions. The overall bold, colourful nature of the filmmaking
might have been enough to recommend the picture if its better parts hadn't
led us to expect something superior. Strange: "Gladiator" would have been
a more enjoyable movie if it had been made with less skill.
COPYRIGHT© 2000 Ian
Waldron-Mantgani
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