fludd.org - Movie Review

As you can see, Gladiator is a swordfight movie about revenge that you might have already seen. That’s very simple to understand. Known for his ability to direct action scenes, director Ridley Scott’s competence really meets our high expectations in this simple movie that would be so much appreciated by action freaks. While the script could have been better if it was only going in one way (i.e. the movie without the uninteresting conspiracy scenes), Russell Crowe’s performance bring Gladiator to a very respectable level.

Without a minute of doubt, I’m sure that all of you remembered that crazy race between Gladiator and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for the Oscar of Best Film of the Year. While Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was saving the genre of martial arts movie from a gruesome death by giving a brain to it and also a little touch of originality, Gladiator collects a set of elements that we have already seen in many movies taking place during the reign of the Romans on Europe, but it is still a very good movie nonetheless and most of you will say that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the movie that deserved, in its own right, the Oscar of Best Film of the Year. After all, isn’t the Oscar ceremony supposed to be an American event? Seriously, which American movie watcher would be overjoyed to see the most prestigious award to be held by a foreign language film?

Anyway, as it was said, Gladiator’s script is really conventional, because most people have already seen certain elements of Gladiator in other movies that take place during the time of the Roman empire. Without considering those uninteresting conspiracy scenes that add few interests to the storyline, because they clearly bring the movie viewers nowhere, since the movie ends with a final battle in the magnificent Coliseum of Rome between Maximus and Commodus (come on, it’s a movie about revenge), therefore, we can notice that the scriptwriters have been wasting their time on something that was not worthy of consideration.

Let it be said that Gladiator is at its best when the action scenes are shown. To be very honest with you, I’m not a historian, although I’ve studied the Roman Empire when I was in high school, but in terms of weaponry, every historical details is present on the screen. You can tell that all the money is there. At least, the action scenes and Russell Crowe’s performance will make you forget the disappointment caused by the conspiracy scenes that slow down the movie, but not dramatically, mind you. Believe me, Gladiator is definitely not a bad movie, to the broad sense. It contains good action scenes, but the filmmakers just shot a bullet in their legs with a long screen time caused by a “conspiracy” that could have been taken out for the own good of Gladiator.

Despite having some long periods, I’m quite sure that Gladiator will certainly be a perfect movie for you if you’re looking forward to take some rest, mentally speaking, because the action scenes are just so well shot that you just won’t complain about the movie’s slow pace. Although Russell Crowe could have win an Oscar with his tremendous performance in L.A. Confidential, this movie does repair that injustice. Despite having some flaws in the script, Gladiator is brimming with larger-than-life characters, gorgeous sceneries, impressive set-design and an epic storytelling as we all like it.

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