Gladiator Movie

Gladiator
Rating:
Run Time: 154 min
MPAA Rating: R
Released: 2000
Directors: Ridley Scott
Genre/Type: Drama
Epic
Historical Epic
Costume Adventure
Sword-and-Sandal
Producers: David H. Franzoni
Doug Wick
Branko Lustig
Plot Synopsis by Mark Deming
A man robbed of his name and his dignity strives to win them back, and gain the freedom of his people, in this epic historical drama from director Ridley Scott. In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. His battle skills serve him well, and he becomes one of the most famous and admired men to fight in the Colosseum. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory. As the gladiator begins to challenge his rule, Commodus decides to put his own fighting mettle to the test by squaring off with Maximus in a battle to the death. Gladiator also features Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, and Oliver Reed, who died of a heart attack midway through production.

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Richard Harris played the role of Marcus Aurelius in the 2000 movie Gladiator. Thanks for using ChaCha!
2000's Gladiator won five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Actor, Costume Design, Sound and Visual Effects.
There was 3 kinds of gladiators, one had a round, large metal shield and a very short sword, another had a trident and an armored arm pice with a crescent-shaped blade on the end, the blade was used only to cause the enemy to spill blood an...

Cast

Actors Character Born
Russell Crowe Maximus Apr 7, 1964 in Wellington, New Zealand
Joaquin Phoenix Commodus Oct 28, 1974 in Puerto Rico
Connie Nielsen Lucilla Jul 3, 1965 in Elling, Frederikshavn, Denmark
Oliver Reed Proximo Feb 13, 1938 in London, England, UK
Derek Jacobi Gracchus Oct 22, 1938 in Leytonstone, London, England, UK
Djimon Hounsou Juba Apr 24, 1964 in Benin
Richard Harris Marcus Aurelius Oct 1, 1932 in Limerick, Ireland
David Schofield Falco
John Shrapnel Gaius
Tomas Arana Quintus
Ralph Moeller Hagen
Spencer Treat Clark Lucius
David Hemmings Cassius Nov 18, 1941 in Guildford, Surrey, England
Sven Ole Thorsen Titus
Omid Djalili
Giorgio Cantarini Maximus' Son Dec 5, 1992

Back to the topReview

Review by Karl Williams
Single-handedly reviving a long-lost genre -- the "sword-and-sandals epic" -- this exciting action picture boasts top-notch production values, creative and engaged (if occasionally ill-considered) direction from Ridley Scott, and -- at long last -- a star-making performance from Australian actor Russell Crowe. The chief appeal of Gladiator is its retro vibe, but some of Scott's artistic choices smack of a shallow attempt to stay modern, such as the hand-held camera and hitching, as well as ultra-focused images in the film's battle sequences, both inspired by Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998). The script by David Franzoni, rewritten by John Logan and William Nicholson (some of it during filming), is sometimes scattershot, foregoing character development as it forages too widely in search of sweep, thus providing doses of everything under the Italian sun: revenge, political intrigue, romance, action, and historical background. Though never delivering the emotional power an audience might crave, Gladiator is rescued by sharp editing, marvelous design and effects, and superb performances from Crowe, the briefly seen Richard Harris, and the impressively slick, fey, high-camp posturing of the lizard-like Joaquin Phoenix. The mix of traditional costumes and set design with the new development of computer-generated imagery produces some eye-popping visuals, especially the lingering overhead shots of the coliseum in Rome, one of the best uses to date of high-tech special effects. As a summer popcorn picture, Gladiator succeeds on most levels and provides some unabashed, old-fashioned entertainment. Similarities were noted by many critics to the earlier epic The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) from director Anthony Mann, which features many of the same characters.

Gladiator on TV

Zip Code: 10010 · Provider: Verizon Fios Queens-Digital (Fresh Meadows) Edit
Fri , 2:15 PM ET · Gladiator  · Channel 358 · ENCRD · Duration: 105 min.
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