Gladiator (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)
by Ridley Scott
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Actor: Connie Nielsen, Joaquin Phoenix, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Russell CroweDirector: Ridley Scott
Brand: MCA
Producer: Branko Lustig
Producer: David Franzoni
Writer: David Franzoni
Producer: Douglas Wick
Producer: Laurie MacDonald
Writer: John Logan
Writer: William Nicholson
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.1; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.1; French (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 155 minutes
Published: 2003-08-01
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-19
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Dreamworks Video
DVD Reviews of Gladiator (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)
DVD Review: Bold Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Gladiator is one of the greatest films of the last several decades, a cinematic masterpiece transcending time and genre. Part drama, part historical, part action, it is all excellent.
There is no weak point, but the story is perhaps most immediately gripping. A superbly crafted tale full of spectacles, twists, and intense drama, it is set in one of the Roman Empire's most interesting times; the movie is dramatic, moving, and above all engrossing. Very few films have pulled me in so completely; it is engaging nearly from the start, never fails to hold interest, and has one of the most spellbinding climaxes ever. This last not only literally had me on my seat's edge but also had my heart beating rapidly and seemingly in my throat.
Much has been said of the battle scenes, and they are indeed among the most brilliant ever filmed. The choreography is top-notch, the actions are performed skillfully, and everything -- setting, lighting, music -- is perfectly complementary. Above all, it is unusually realistic, so visceral we almost feel it. This is far from the usual light Hollywood fare; people bleed, scream, and die, and all is shown with stunning verisimilitude. Perhaps most fundamentally, and certainly most surprisingly, this is never corny or overdone. Some controversy unsurprisingly resulted; quite a few viewers thought the violence over the top, with several known to me being unable to sit through it, including some usually not prone to such things. The squeamish should certainly be warned; those averse to graphic violence will probably not like the film, though this should be obvious from the title alone. That said, it is important to remember that the film is set in a particularly bloody part of the always bloody Roman Empire; their wars were brutal even by war's standards, and their "games" are perhaps unmatched in the sad roll of humanity's penchant for making violence a spectator sport. Many films portray the Roman Empire, but few make its horrors so astonishingly clear, which is to its credit; the subject had been whitewashed long enough, and no serious treatment can continue the trend. Unfortunately, as always in such cases, this leads some to like the film for the wrong reasons. It is important to realize that Gladiator is not glorifying violence; it indeed in many ways does the opposite by showing war's futility and destructiveness plus the fatal effects of unchecked monarchy and petty revenge. The film takes the Empire as it was, for better or worse.
As deserved as the action's acclaim is, it unfairly diverts attention from many other excellences. For example, though it is obvious why action fans would love Gladiator, it is far more than an action film. It is in fact profoundly emotional; I have known several people to cry over it, including one not known to have cried over any other movie - and indeed only a few times ever. The story of Maximus, one of modern film's more believable, immediate, and deeply stirring heroes, is incredibly rousing. We immediately feel for him despite his apparent brutality - perhaps even in part because of it, which says much about the film's remarkable subtlety. His struggles and triumphs move us greatly; several scenes affect me more powerfully than almost any other film's. Perhaps Gladiator's most notable aspect is diversity; dramatic and action-packed as it is, it also has more than a little romance and even some humor. It is one of the more well-rounded films in recent memory, strongly pulling us in many directions.
Also highly noteworthy is the vivid Roman Empire recreation. This has again been attempted often but rarely, if ever, as successfully. Director Ridley Scott of course had the benefits of CGI - unthinkable in the days of early Roman film epics - but wisely avoids overusing it. Nearly any other director would have relied on it to realism's detriment, but he skillfully mixes it with sets and straight footage, creating a stunning montage. Few films are so visually breathtaking; the Empire's vast reach is on clear display, from Rome's grandeur - still hardly matched - to distant steppes, forests, and fields. The coliseums are also well-done. Everything is in place; costumes are superlative, lighting is just right, etc. It takes a rare film to bring a distant era so vibrantly to life, but this succeeds beyond all expectations.
Historical epics were an early Hollywood hallmark but were long out of vogue by 2000. Gladiator helped resurrect their popularity and reputation, but few attempts to replicate its success have even remotely matched it. Verisimilitude is what makes it work, but it is important to keep in mind that, despite being a historical film, it is not strictly historical. The settings are of course real, as are many characters and some events, but Maximus and most of the plot are fictional. This is no fault; the film does not pretend to tell history. The important thing is that everything seems plausible and is well-done; one should hardly expect more. Anyone wanting documentary-level history will be disappointed, but Gladiator does the important service of making an important time seem interesting and relevant; it has doubtless lead many to look into the era more thoroughly, which is what a historical epic should do.
It is of course impossible to talk of Gladiator without enthusing about the amazing acting; one would be hard-pressed to find another film with such consistently fine performances. There is no weak job, but a few stand out. Russell Crowe's starring role is deservedly praised; Maximus is one of the most multi-dimensional film heroes one can think of, and he pulls off all the angles with mesmerizing force. Crowe has a presence that few actors have and most would give nearly anything for; he need not even speak to convey very powerful emotions. This comes to the fore, as he moves from a tough guy persona worthy of any pure action hero to thoughtfulness to tenderness and seemingly everywhere else. However, Joaquin Phoenix's performance is even better - nothing less than one of the greatest of all-time. His Commodus is one of the most fearsomely convincing villains in screen history; the depth of true savagery he conveys is simply astonishing. Yet he is far from a one-dimensional villain; a conflicted, complex individual, he has many facets, and Phoenix portrays them all so deftly that we alternately revile and (almost) feel bad for him. Several of the lesser characters - notably Proximo, played by Oliver Reed in his last role - are similarly subtle.
All told, Gladiator deserves to stand with the all-time great films; it will surely be looked on as one of the decade's best, and anyone wanting a truly great film would be wrong to miss it.
Description of Gladiator (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)
A man robbed of his name and his dignity strives to win them back, and gain the freedom of his people, in this epic historical drama from director Ridley Scott. In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. His battle skills serve him well, and he becomes one of the most famous and admired men to fight in the Colosseum. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory. As the gladiator begins to challenge his rule, Commodus decides to put his own fighting mettle to the test by squaring off with Maximus in a battle to the death. Gladiator also features Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, and Oliver Reed, who died of a heart attack midway through production.A big-budget summer epic with money to burn and a scale worthy of its golden Hollywood predecessors, Ridley Scott's Gladiator is a rousing, grisly, action-packed epic that takes moviemaking back to the Roman Empire via computer-generated visual effects. While not as fluid as the computer work done for, say, Titanic, it's an impressive achievement that will leave you marveling at the glory that was Rome, when you're not marveling at the glory that is Russell Crowe. Starring as the heroic general Maximus, Crowe firmly cements his star status both in terms of screen presence and acting chops, carrying the film on his decidedly non-computer-generated shoulders as he goes from brave general to wounded fugitive to stoic slave to gladiator hero. Gladiator's plot is a whirlwind of faux-Shakespearean machinations of death, betrayal, power plays, and secret identities (with lots of faux-Shakespearean dialogue ladled on to keep the proceedings appropriately "classical"), but it's all briskly shot, edited, and paced with a contemporary sensibility. Even the action scenes, somewhat muted but graphic in terms of implied violence and liberal bloodletting, are shot with a veracity that brings to mind--believe it or not--Saving Private Ryan, even if everyone is wearing a toga. As Crowe's nemesis, the evil emperor Commodus, Joaquin Phoenix chews scenery with authority, whether he's damning Maximus's popularity with the Roman mobs or lusting after his sister Lucilla (beautiful but distant Connie Nielsen); Oliver Reed, in his last role, hits the perfect notes of camp and gravitas as the slave owner who rescues Maximus from death and turns him into a coliseum star. Director Scott's visual flair is abundantly in evidence, with breathtaking shots and beautiful (albeit digital) landscapes, but it's Crowe's star power that will keep you in thrall--he's a true gladiator, worthy of his legendary status. Hail the conquering hero! --Mark Englehart
Stills from Gladiator (Click for larger image)
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