Gladiator

Gladiator

This might have been the most overhyped epic of the year. Despite a few stunning scenes, much of Gladiator is so overdramatic and cliched that it's no different than watching an old Italian Hercules movie. The film's hero Maximus (played with wooden precision by Crowe) is loved by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (Harris), so much so that he's reluctantly selected as the emperor's successor. This doesn't sit well with Aurelius' son Commodus (Phoenix, who's over-the-top as usual). He murders dear old dad and orders Maximus to be executed along with his wife and son. Maximus escapes but winds up in a gladiator slave camp run by Proximo (Reed, in a strong final performance). It's not long before the studly Maximus makes his way back to Rome and becomes the people's champion. This intensifies Commodus' hatred for Maximus. Rejected by his father and sister (Nielsen), who's in love with the square-jawed hero, Commodus is held in contempt of the people he rules. This sets the pace for a series of intense battles to break the spirit of Maximus as well as slay him. Anyone who's seen Spartacus or even Conan the Barbarian can predict this film's outcome. The only difference is that the quality of those two films is significantly higher than this one. Crowe's Maximus is a one-dimensional thug with the personality of a rock. As Commodus, Phoenix puts on his worst London accent (as a Roman?) and seems to be doing a Mick Jagger impersonation. Rounding out this ineffective package is the computer-generated shots of the Roman Coliseum, which are lackluster and phony. Even worse is the film's dragging pace and ultra-predictable conclusion. For a better example of the genre, check out the aforementioned Spartacus or Conan. Both of them may seem dated in areas but are decidedly more profound in terms of drama, story, and action.