Dreamworks Gladiator - 2000

     Gladiator is one of the most distinguished movies that I've seen in my lifetime.  The movie is very accurate in its portrayal of ancient Roman society.  Although it takes place primarily in the Roman Colosseum, the movie's story begins in Germania  with a Roman army battling Barbarian forces in the north.  The protagonist of this movie is the general of that army. The general's name is Maximus Decimus Meridius. He is a charismatic war-hardened general that commands extreme loyalty among his men.  His role is played by Russel Crowe, who did an outstanding job in representing the way a man of that magnitude would be. 

      Despite Maximus' oustanding reputation and heroic status, he is a very humble man whose only wish appears to be going home to his family, and relive his life as a farmer.  The main antagonist of this movie is the son of the current emperor Marcus Aurelius.  The son's name is Commodus, and he is played by Joaquin Phoenix, and he is a mentally unstable villain who hungers for power but lacks the virtues to be a good leader.  Commodus is jealous of Maximus in almost every way, because Maximus is a great general, commands prestigious loyalty, and is loved more by his father the emperor and his sister Lucilla, who was the former lover of Maximus.

      Lucilla is played by Connie Nielson, and is another main character of this film.  Her role as the voice of reason is one of the most important in this film.  The main plot of this movie is Marcus Aurelius is very old and regretful for the long years of war the empire has seen under him.  The emperor doesn't wish to be remembered as a conquerer or a tyrant, but as a man of good intentions.  He wishes to restore power to the people, but he knows he is too old to see it done.  Marcus Aurelius believes that to do this, he must appoint a noble man who doesn't thirst for domination to give control of Rome back to the senate.  Obviously, his choice was Maximus to be his successor.  On a side note, ever since Emperor Augustus, the emeperors could choose their heirs, so it was not a genetic heritage. Commodus, the only son and heir to Marcus Aurelius, did not take the news very well and ends up killing his father before he makes a public declaration of his successor.

     This is where the plot starts to thicken in the movie.  With his father dead, Commodus is able to seize the throne for himself.  When Maximus learns of the treachery, and refuses loyalty to Commodus, Maximus is taken away to be executed and his family killed.  He is able to kill his executioners, and escapes on a horse rushing to his home in Spain.  Unfortunately, Maxmimus is unable to save his family and ultimately collapses at his burnt home in grief.

     Maximus later awakes on a traveling caravan in Africa as a slave.  He is sold to a Ludus owner by the name of Proximo, who is a wealthy man.  Proximo is played by Oliver Reed.  Also,  a Ludus is a gladiator training ground for those that didn't know.  Maximus is forced to fight in the provinces as a gladiator, and eventually earns the respect of Proximo who gives him armor and advice on how to win his freedom. 

     Proximo later takes his gladiators to the colosseum because Commodus has reopened it in ironic tribute to his father who had originally banned the games.   Maximus befriends Juba, an African tribesman turned gladiator and Hagan, the German barbarian prodigy of  Proximo's Ludus.  The three of them are essentially the stars of Proximo's gladiators.

     At the colosseum, Proximo learns that his best people are to be slaughtered in the recreation of the second fall of Carthage, as the losing side of Hannibal's barbarians.  After an epic battle in the arena in which Maximus displays superb leadership and battle skill, they win against chariot-armored enemies.

     This is just a brief summary of the first half of the story.  The rest i leave as a cliff hanger in case anyone would be interested in watching it.  I could write all day about the message this movie represents.  One of its main points is that one man can make a difference, and i personally believe this is one of the best movies to come out of Hollywood.  Despite its R rating, i recommend anyone mature enough to understand what is happening to watch this film.  I've literally seen this movie two to three dozen times in its entirety. 

     Gladiator is a very long movie, slightly over two and a half hours as i recall.  Still though with the amazing story, the intense action, and incredible music, i guarantee you won't leave your seat the first time through it.  That brings me to another point.  The music in this movie was composed by Han Zimmer one of the most incredible musicians in the world.  He also did the music for the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.  Several examples of his music are listed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgCevpO18t4     this is the main theme

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYKA-xG9KK0  this is the music playing in the beginning battle against the barbarians

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnLu-JCwMNo&feature=related   and this is the music played at the colosseum battle.

Those are just three examples of some of the incredible music in this movie.  This music really sets the epic mood in my opinion.  I almost felt as if i were there the first time.  There is much more incredible music in Gladiator, but those are just three that specifically play in the main parts i mentioned. 

Those are all the good things about this move, but  like in every movie, there were a few things that I did not like.  For one, half of the main cast end up dead. I understand that the movie is a traumatic struggle, but it always is a shame to see a lot of the main cast killed.  Another fault that i didn't care for is the explanation of how Maximus got to Africa from Spain after discovering his dead family.  Despite this being a minor issue, it did always confuse me.  Though things like that don't matter as much to people who look at the big picture.

 However, i believe the movie is very good and well worth the 150 minutes you'll spend watching it.  The only other thing to really say about it is it'll leave you with epic quotes you'll remember forever such as "What we do in life, echoes in eternity" - Maximus