Gladiator (2000) Review

I am a bit late to the party, but I am going to see Gladiator 2 today, so I decided to watch the first film in the franchise Gladiator and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a Roman General betrayed and on the hunt for revenge after being sold to slavery. 

Main Character

Russel Crowe plays Maximus and he is fantastic in this film, this is such an iconic role and he absolutely nails it. He plays this gladiator so well and makes it so believable in the action scenes but there is a real depth to Maximus and Crowe really delivered in making us care about his character and the situation he is in. Crowe won the Oscar for this role and that is truly deserved here. 

Supporting Characters

Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus and he is truly amazing and deserves real credit for playing one of the biggest scumbags I have seen in film. He is a petulant and angry man who just wants power and recognition. He contrasts Maximus so well and this is an iconic performance and up there with his very best. 

Connie Nielsen plays Lucilla and I really liked her performance. She is introduced as a strong character but you really see her problems and how she is treated throughout the film drives her to drastic decisions and Nielsen is a good addition to the cast. 

Oliver Reed plays Proximo and it is sad that Reed died before the end of filming so he never got to see the film and it caused the production to have to adapt to keep him in the film. He is great and I loved him as the gladiator owner here, he truly believed in Maximus and their relationship is a highlight of the film. 

Richard Harris and Djimon Hounsou play small roles here but they also add to the quality of the cast and show that the film is full of great performers. 

Story

The film does a fantastic job with its story. In theory, it is quite a simple revenge story but there is just so much more to it and the film does a fantastic job at it. There are political machinations going on that links to Maximus plan to take down Commodus and they contrast really well and adds to the depth of the story. The ending is also great and truly fits the story and tone of the overall film. 

Script

The script is fantastic, there are quite a few really memorable quotes here that people use in every day life. There are so many memorable scenes and even a bit of charm and humour to Maximus and this really fleshes the character out. 

Style

The film has a fantastic style, the cinematography is brilliant. The actions scenes are really well filmed and the landscapes and backgrounds are beautiful. The film is paced really well and I thought it flowed between action and dialogue incredibly well. The score and all the music adds so much to the film and is really iconic. 

Overall

Overall, Gladiator is an Epic Film and needs to be seen by every person. It is really well directed has great action and is acted brilliantly so this is a must watch and a film that is truly legendary. 

Rating - 10/10