Juxtaposeur looks at Gladiator

Ridley Scott, famed director of sci-fi classics Blade Runner and Alien, steps back into the Roman Empire for Gladiator. The film stars New Zealand-born actor Russell Crowe, and brings modern computer-graphic technology to the classic Hollywood genre that produced Ben Hur (1959), Spartacus (1960) and The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964).

Caesar Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) is dying, and he looks to his best general Maximus (Crowe) to succeed him, rather than his own son Commodus. Maximus would prefer to return to his wife and son on his olive farm, but honors the request of Marcus Aurelius. When Commodus learns of this, he strangles his father, seizes control and orders Maximus and his family put to death. Maximus escapes, but his wife and son are not so lucky.

Freedom is short-lived for Maximus, as he is captured by slave- traders, and groomed to be a gladiator by his owner, Proximo (Oliver Reed, who passed away during production). Maximus is of course quite adept at the gladiator role, and wins battle after battle in the provinces in order to get his shot in Rome's Coliseum. Once at the big show, Maximus is recognized by Commodus, but the former general is so popular with the crowd that he must be allowed to live. As his popularity with the Roman citizens grows, Maximus sets the stage for the inevitable epic finale.

One thing seems clear -- Gladiator is surely something to behold visually. Critics largely agree that the film is a grand spectacle with outstanding production values, but disagree on the strength of the script and characters.

James Berardinelli says "filled with larger-than-life characters, gorgeous scenery, impressive set design, and epic storytelling, Gladiator is designed not just to entertain, but to enthrall." Other than taking minor exception to a bit of pretentious social commentary, James praises the film as "filmmaking on a grand scale."

Chicago Tribune critic Michael Wilmington says Gladiator "is a movie of almost overwhelming visual grandeur and excitement: a bloody Roman festival capable of leaving any susceptible audience breathless." Michael believes the story to be a simple "mishmash" of elements from gladiator movies from the '50s and '60s, "[b]ut it's an extraordinary mishmash all the same. And Crowe gives an extraordinary lead performance..."

Over at Film.com, opinions differ. Ted Fry offers an enthusiastic review that has this to say about Gladiator: "Bristling with intense action sequences, loaded with star power, and buttressed by a formidable cast ... this tale of power and revenge proves there are still some people in the movie business who know what they're doing." Sean Means, on the other hand, feels that the story of Gladiator almost gets lost in the visuals, if not for the efforts of Russell Crowe. "If you went by looks alone," writes Sean, "Gladiator would be the coolest movie of the year."

Roger Ebert differs from the pack so drastically that you wonder if he saw the same movie. He says "The film looks muddy, fuzzy and indistinct," and calls the special effects "obscure" and "shabby." Ebert thinks the film is depressing, says the battle scenes "play like professional wrestling," and isn't impressed with the performances, either. Roger also points out that when a Caesar determines that the gladiator is to live (rather than giving the "thumbs down," indicating death), the signal is a closed fist, not a "thumbs up."

Roger's gotta protect his trademark.

Finally, Elvis Mitchell of the New York Times turns out another one of his rambling, self-important reviews. He's not impressed with the film, stating "Gladiator suggests what would happen if someone made a movie of the imminent extreme-football league and shot it as if it were a Chanel commercial." Elvis questions the integrity of a film that he says borrows so much from earlier movies, and wonders "if it's homage, or if it's actionable."

The Juxtaposeur guesses that if posed the infamous question from 1980's Airplane! ("Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"), Elvis Mitchell would say "No, I don't. And don't call me Joey."

I wonder how he feels about Turkish prisons?

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