Sunday, March 14, 2010

#66 Gladiator - replace Russell Crowe with Mel Gibson and we have Braveheart all over again

2000. dir. Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed.

Seen it before? Yes.

I saw this on the big screen in 2000 because that was the thing to do...Even then I thought Joaquin Phoenix's character was creepy! I couldn't wait for him to die...is that bad?

The emperor wants to leave his kingdom in the hands of his capable general, Maximus - and he only wants to go home and be with his wife and son...he tells the news to his lazy son Commodus - who is in a creepy incestuous relationship with his sister - and by lazy I mean he rides up to his father AFTER the big opening battle scene...durr...no wonder why your father thinks you are weak and doesn't want to leave his empire to you!
ANY how...Emperor dies by his son's hands (okay so Commodus DOES do something...), Maximus and his family are doomed (sorry if you haven't seen this) and he gets taken into slavery and turned into a fighter...FINE I'll say the name of the damn movie GLADIATOR - are you happy now?

Here's where I think Sam is wrong...despite Commodus being 100% evil I don't think Maximus is 100% good - he does an AWFUL lot of killing in the movie; the men who served under Maximus but had to work under Commodus are DEFINITELY part of the gray area that Sam saw was missing. The ending proves that...again, sorry if you haven't seen the movie...it's not like I have gone into great detail!

Would I see it again? NO - in fact, I'm saying it right now, this was the last time I will watch this movie!
Own it? No
Last thoughts - so what was the deal with Lucilla? She obviously loved Maximus in a passionate way...she wasn't a man but thought like a man and therefore she couldn't be made emperor...but her relationship with Commodus was almost like Cruel Intentions BLECH!

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