Maximus (Russell Crow) is a successful general
and favourite of the dying, wise and benevolent
emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). The
emperor is succeeded by his morally bankrupt
son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who sees to it
that very bad things indeed happen to Maximus.
Commodus stages gladiatorial games in the Colosseum
to pacify the citizens with blood. But such
a cheap tactic designed to woo popularity can
be, to use an apt cliché, a double edged
sword. And so it transpires that Maximus ends
up having to fight for his life as a gladiator,
whilst seeking vengeance.
This was one of those oddly frustrating films:
interesting, good, but needlessly nobbled. I
expected super things from
Gladiator
but I didn't quite get into it. I was expecting
too much of this movie, having subconsciously
been affected by the hype. This is usually a
mistake and it was here. One expects greatness
and is disappointed by a normally pleasing
very
good.
The film is a shade too long at two and a half
hours. "Epics" are perfectly fine
as far as I was concerned. The point of an epic
is that you get drawn more deeply into the characters
and the story. By the climax of the film our
intimacy has built up over the long running
time so that there is more punch and poignancy
when the ending strikes, making a consummation
more likely. Alas the satisfying ending didn't
quite materialise.
Another problem with the epic nature of
Gladiator
was that the reverse happened to what was intended.
As the film progressed the characters, which
at first seemed fascinating, began to lose their
enigma and charm. In the end they actually seemed
less rounded and developed than when
they started out.
Yet
Gladiator is often marvellous,
with great swathes of enjoyable scenes and scenery,
fine acting and memorable conflicts. The violence
is heavy but in context. This is a film that
deserves credit.
Crowe is an incredible actor. Here he had to
play wronged and tragic angst for an awful lot
of screen time. It is a testament to his skill
that he managed to remain so watchable under
such adverse conditions. Phoenix was watchable
as the barking mad, despotic, yet insecure Emperor.
However he needed to be more menacing and intimidating
to match his role as arch villain. This would
have created some suspense in the later acts
of the film.
The special effects shots of Rome and the Colosseum
were great fun but, to nit pick, they didn't
quite convince, looking blurred and often dark.
When they perfect this type of special effect,
films like this are going to be yet more amazing
to watch.
Gladiator was stygean and gloomy for pretty
much all the time and this had an effect on
the spirit like the winter blues. (Or it might
just have been caused by the hangover from a
Stag Night the night before in Shrewsbury.)
But... it is well worth seeing
Gladiator,
it is a great spectacle. The opening battle
against the Huns and many of the gladiatorial
scenes were thrilling. Oliver Reed was riveting
as Proximo, the gladiator manager. Reed himself
died in the midst of production. The film featured
some tricks to keep him going in the film but
you could tell because his scenes grew shorter
and lost their power. Instead of writing him
out of the story quickly, they let him linger
in a weird, fading, digitally-assisted undead
state until he finally expired (in the film)
with more of a fizzle than a deserved bang.
How poignant, when his living performance was
so incredibly enjoyable. He was a tempest of
interest that
Gladiator was so
in need of, which blew itself out so tragically
prematurely. The movie seemed to die with him.
It is surprising how many films suffer unduly
once an interesting character disappears.
RIP Oliver Reed. I will never forget his appearance
on a live, late-night English talk show called
After Dark where he got plastered and
rudely teased a witless, humourless and charmless
feminist. It was the most memorable and amusing
thing I have ever seen on the box.
When
the protagonists try to verbally justify the
ending to one another, you just know the conclusion
is going to be slightly dodgy. Indeed, this
ending, except for one or two nice touches,
was a conventional cliché that Gladiator
should have risen above. The preferred climax
is, of course a rollicking Roman orgy. What
better way to end a film? What better way to
start a film for that matter? What better way
to spice up the middle of a film? I vote for
all three :P
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| From: |
hung-piece | Subject: | 2002-01-11 19:23:50 |
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| From: |
lil rat gangsta ggc 4 lyf | Subject: | 2006-02-11 00:19:26 |
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