Although I review movies with an open mind, I wasn't particularly
interested in viewing "Gladiator". After it opened, it took my
dad a week to talk me into watching "Gladiator". (He wanted to
see it, and he can't see a movie for free without me, so I had
to go too.) Actually, we were sitting in another theatre, waiting
for another movie to start, and Dad found a guy who thought "Gladiator"
was a great movie. This movie patron even protested that "Gladiator"
was not a "guy movie". "I think I women would like 'Gladiator',"
were his specific words. Then Dad reminded me that "Gladiator"
was doing quite well in theatres, and I, as a movie critic, really
should see it. Thus, I went to see "Gladiator".
Hey, I gave this movie a fair chance - I really did. I don't
review movies based on preconceived expectations. But it turns
out I was right - "Gladiator" is a monotonous, uninteresting drama.
The story takes place several centuries ago. Russell Crowe plays
Maximus, a Roman general. The Caesar wants Maximus to take over
as Caesar after the former's soon-approaching death. But the Caesar's
son wants to be Caesar, so he murders his father, then orders
that Maximus be killed as well. Maximus escapes, but doesn't arrive
home in time to prevent Roman soldiers from murdering his family.
Grief-stricken and physically wounded, he somehow ends up being
abducted and sold into slavery. Eventually, he becomes a gladiator
- he and several other men try to kill each other in order to
entertain the crowd.
Few gladiators survive long. (And they say the entertainment
industry today is too violent!) Maximus hopes that he will have
the chance to seek revenge against the caesar.
"Gladiator"'s weak plot and bland characters didn't interest
me for long. Obviously, the budget for this movie wasted a lot
of money on special effects that don't even look convincing. In
one scene, a severed head that doesn't look even remotely real
is displayed. (It looked like a cheesy prop or mask you could
buy in a Halloween costume store for about five bucks.) Unless
you're fascinated by movies about gladiators, or you really enjoy
action films, I don't recommend "Gladiator".
Rated R for intense graphic violence
