Review of Gladiator (1992) by Trevor R — 29 Mar 2013
The first 30 minutes or so are compelling, but once the revenge tale kicks into gear, "Gladiator" becomes a bit of a drag. Russell Crowe is quite good here, but the visuals are fairly drab and muddy.
The combat sequences are extremely violent, but they lack relevant or tasteful context. It appears as though director Ridley Scott is completely intent on eliciting the same awed response from modern audiences as from the ancient Romans: spectacularly bloody death sequences are not just creatively staged (Nobody dies the same way twice), but are also highlighted by a rousing, epic score.
It's morally manipulative, with every battle placing Maximus at a distinct disadvantage and against always-masked figures (dehumanizing them, they basically become monsters). It's a cheap way to get the audience to root for the hero, by brushing aside all that ugly business about people getting murdered for sport.
"Gladiator" never seems to really hold itself accountable for the positively bloodthirsty manner by which it is presented.
This review of Gladiator (1992) was written by Trevor R on 29 Mar 2013.
Gladiator has generally received positive reviews.
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