GLADIATOR (2000) / ***
Directed by Ridley Scott. Screenplay by David H Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson. Starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen. Running time: 153 minutes. Rated AA for blood letting and violent scenes by the MFCB. Reviewed on May 8th, 2000.
By SHANNON PATRICK SULLIVAN
The reign of Caesar Marcus Aurelius in the mid-second century A.D. is often considered a golden age of the Roman Empire. Marcus was instrumental in securing peace in the nether regions of the Empire, but was also a philosopher of great renown. He died in 180 and rule passed to his son Commodus. The transition was an orderly one; Commodus was recommended to the Senate by Marcus, and indeed had been sharing power with his father since 177. Commodus' rule, however, would go down in the history books as disastrous, with the Caesar's demeanour descending into brutality and ultimately madness. In 182 his sister Lucilla and a group of senators tried unsuccessfully to have him assassinated. Commodus became obsessed with the gladiatorial games, and in 192 his own advisers had him strangled by a popular wrestler.
"Gladiator" is a condensed and largely fictionalised version of the true events. The most notable addition to the story is Maximus (Russell Crowe), a general who leads the Romans to victory against the German tribes to the north. Contradicting real life, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) wants Maximus -- not Commodus -- to be Rome's new ruler after his death, with the aim of eventually turning the empire back into a republic. Before he can proclaim his decision, however, the deceitful Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) murders his father and orders Maximus' execution.
Maximus escapes and tries to return home to Spain, only to discover that Commodus has had his wife and son killed as well. Gravely wounded in his flight, Maximus is captured and bought by Proximo (the late Oliver Reed) to fight as a gladiator. Initially reluctant, Maximus soon embraces his new role when it gives him a chance to travel to Rome, where the new Caesar has declared 150 days of gladiatorial games to celebrate his ascension to the throne. There, Maximus' efforts to take revenge on Commodus involve him in the machinations of Commodus' sister Lucilla (Connie Nielsen).
The first blockbuster movie of the 2000 summer season, "Gladiator" is a visual feast. Expert set design and computer effects have been exploited in their fullest by director Ridley Scott to bring ancient Rome to life. Shots which pan overhead across the city to the Coliseum, teeming with spectators, are fabulous to behold. It is difficult not to feel transported eighteen hundred years back in time.
In some respects, however, Scott overdoes it with his cinematic trickery. Specifically, he portrays many fight scenes -- both with the gladiators and the legions -- using a choppy, strobe-like technique. Scott is clearly trying to achieve the sense of disorientation in battle that was so successfully conveyed in films like "Braveheart" and "Saving Private Ryan". Instead, he merely makes these sequences disjointed and hard to watch. It is virtually impossible to follow the actions of even the principal characters, and so the viewer is left to try to piece together what is actually happening.
It has been more than thirty years since the last great Roman epic was made. In reviving the genre, the scriptwriters have elected to hew closely to tried-and-true storylines rather than break new ground. "Gladiator" does not deviate much from other examples of the genre, echoing everything from "Spartacus" to "Doctor Who". The mad emperor, the resurgent war hero, and the gladiatorial games as a conduit for revenge are all familiar plot elements. Nonetheless, the story is entertainingly told, and while considerable attention is paid to the gladiator combat which is the movie's main attraction, this is not overaccentuated. "Gladiator" is no "Mortal Kombat", moving from meaningless battle to meaningless battle without pause. The film is very well paced, and the quieter aspects of the plot are not trivialised.
Perhaps as a result of this, "Gladiator" boasts some unusually fine acting for a big-budget action picture. Crowe, although by no means achieving the complexity of his Oscar-nominated performance in "The Insider", brings a pleasant depth to Maximus. The general is a man first and a hero second; he is driven to confront Commodus not by a love of Rome, but rather of a man who was as a father to him, and of a murdered wife and child whose deaths he must avenge. Crowe brings an evenness to the role which makes Maximus seem more real than similar characters in other movies.
Likewise, Phoenix does well not to overplay Commodus. The role of the insane tyrant has often been an invitation to hammy overacting in the past, but Phoenix's portrayal is more subtle. Commodus' burgeoning madness is manifested largely through his body language, rather than any particular statement or deed. Also very good are Reed and Harris in supporting roles. Despite their comparatively short screen time (indeed, Reed actually died before filming was complete, forcing Scott to compensate using clever editing and digital effects), both grant their characters a sense of history and profundity.
Perhaps least successful is Nielsen as Lucilla, despite having what may be "Gladiator"'s most involved role. Lucilla is Commodus' sister, and he obviously harbors inappropriate feelings for her. It is also strongly implied that she is Maximus' former lover. And she is a dispassionate and intelligent schemer, whose allegiances may be pivotal in determining Rome's future. But Nielsen comes across as detached throughout the proceedings, more so than is called for by her character. Even in scenes where Lucilla's reserve breaks, Nielsen feels removed from the action. Given her importance in how the events of the movie play out, this is an unfortunate central weakness.
But all in all, "Gladiator" is entrancing to watch, beautifully acted, and really just a lot of good old-fashioned fun. Although far removed from the greatness of classics like "Ben-Hur", it marks an entertaining and satisfying return of what was once one of Hollywood's favourite genres. Indeed, given the possibilities offered by this age of increasingly sophisticated special effects, "Gladiator" is hopefully just the first of many forays back to the time of the great Roman Empire.
Copyright © 2000 Shannon Patrick Sullivan. Archived at The Popcorn Gallery, http://www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies/Gladiator.html
-- _______________________________________________________________________ / Shannon Patrick Sullivan | "We are all in the gutter, but some of us \ | shannon@mun.ca | are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde | \___________________________|__________________________________________/ | Popcorn Gallery Movie Reviews www.physics.mun.ca/~sps/movies.html | | Doctor Who: A Brief History of Time (Travel) /drwho.html |
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