Starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Richard Harris, Djimon Honsou, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, John Schrapnel, David Schofield. Directed by Ridley Scott. Roman General Maximus (Crowe) has loyally served Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Harris), and has helped him expand the Roman Empire from Northern England to the sands of the Sahara. Their last foe are the barbarians of Germania. With superior numbers, technology and organization, the General defeats the Germans, leaving Rome at peace for the first time in nearly 20 years. Maximus now just wants to get home to his farm in Italy. But Aurelius, who considers Maximus the son he wishes he had, wants him to become Emperor long enough to transfer power to the Rome Senate, and give power back to the people. Unfortunately, Commodus (Phoenix), the Emperor's actual son, has other plans and considerable ambition. Before Aurelius can proclaim his plan, Commodus strangles Aurelius, declares himself the new Emperor, and has Maximus taken away to be executed. Unbeknownst to Commodus, Maximus escapes, but arrives at his farm just after Roman soldiers have burned and crucified his wife and son. He is captured by slave traders and taken to an isolated province where Proximo (Reed) buys him and others to train as gladiators. Maximus and new recruit Juba (Honsou) quickly become stars, dominating the combatants they face. Meanwhile, Commodus has decided to improve Roman public opinion of him by offering gladiatorial games non-stop. Banished to the provinces after Marcus Aurelius muted the violence of gladiatorial combat in Rome, Proximo dreams of the day he can return to Rome, and with Maximus he thinks he has a winning warrior to make him a lot of money. Maximus also wants to return, and vows to gain vengence on Commodus, the man who slaughtered his family. Reportedly costing over $100 million to make, Ridley Scott has returned to high quality movie-making with an epic comparable in quality with the best Roman era epics of the 50's. Already lauded for its scrupulous adherence to the customs and sites of the Roman Empire, the film maintains an authentic, gritty feel throughout. Thanks to an intelligent script and the use of distinguished actors, you are not required to turn your brains off - between stunning action pieces, the film is a meditation on power, the qualities of leadership, the publics' insatiable appetite for violent entertainment and how easily they can be distracted by manipulative politicians. When Commodus confronts his father over his choice of Maximus instead of him, he laments his philosopher father's emphasis of four virtues, of which he has none, including wisdom, bravery and concern for the common good. Commodus suggests he has others, including ambition and courage to do what he has to in order to get his own way. And to prove it, he kills daddy. In the provincial gladiator fights, a sickened Maximus slaughters a half-dozen foes savagely, and when he spits at the crowd and roars at them whether it was brutal enough for them, they still continue to cheer at him in WWF style. When Commodus returns to Rome and a very chilly reception from the people, he vows to make them love him, and eventually have them respect him. While he stages non-stop entertainment, he allows the city services to deteriorate. At the games, he distributes food and trinketts to the crowd to gain their affection, while he schemes to dismantle the senate that gives the people some measure of power to improve their lives. I did not see him offering $200 tax rebate cheques, but it wouldn't have surprised me. With an unbrotherly lust of his sister Lucilla (Nielsen), Commodus yearns for someone to love him, love his father never showed. But forget the message - if its spectacular entertainment you want, Gladiator has plenty. From the opening Germania battle to the recreation of the massacre of Carthage in the Roman Colliseum, complete with chariot spills, beheadings and bloodspurts aplenty, the action is well-filmed and exciting. But director Scott does not dwell on the gore, showing the violence quickly and moving on. The actors excel throughout. Crowe conveys courage and honour, projecting virility and strength of character reminiscent of John Wayne's single-minded quest for revenge in The Searchers. Oliver Reed, who died during filming, is excellent as the freed slave turned gladiator trainer who wants to get rich, but harbours an inner desire for Rome to return to its ideas of greatness. Phoenix magnificently portrays a small-minded, vindictive man, captive to his own fears of inadequacy and conflicted by his opposite desires to obtain love and absolute power. The rest of the cast is equally as strong. Gladiator is the first of the summer blockbusters, and will be a tough act to follow. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page