This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007 at 4:45 pm and is filed under Action, G. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris
Director: Ridley Scott
Now, as you all know, I am not the type to question the judgment of my betters. If the Academy of Motion Pictures, or Moving Furniture or whatever their name is voted this as best picture, then who am I, some sarcastic neophyte with a keyboard and a thesaurus, to say differently? This movie got so many Oscars that only beefy Russell Crowe could lift the basket to take them home. I didn’t think the movie deserved best picture, nor did I think Crowe deserved best actor, but how many times can they give it to Tom Hanks?
Crowe plays a Roman General whose loyalty to a slain emperor makes him an outlaw and, eventually he becomes a mysterious, but wildly popular gladiator, but is still after revenge against the new Emperor played masterfully by Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix has the best role here as a villain who is both an evil self -absorbed tyrant, and a pathetic spoiled little boy, missing a father’s support. The script is a little uneven with some good writing marred by plot holes and a silly ending. This is easily forgiven by adoring action fans; but best picture and best actor? No way. I guess they figured they owed Crowe for his great performance in The Insider.
Don’t get me wrong. Gladiator is a pretty good piece of work with great direction (which didn’t win) and visual effects (which did win). Crowe is rather wooden, and boring, in the lead role, but he is really good with his sword and this is an action flick.
