For today’s film, we’re sticking with Ridley Scott and his other swords and sandals epic, GLADIATOR. Like so many flicks that are set in or around the Iron Age, this one follows the template in Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey” pretty well. If you need proof, just check out the trailer below:
If only KINGDOM OF HEAVEN had had a more charismatic lead… oh, let’s say someone like Russell Crowe. Ironically, GLADIATOR came along several years before Scott’s other flick, and while he refined his cinematic style, perhaps he should have considered the “leading man who can carry a film” factor. Crowe definitely fit that billing in this one, winning an Oscar for his portrayal of the “Spaniard,” a.k.a. Maximus. There’s a lot that can be said of all the lead actors in this one, honestly, with Joaquin Phoenix continuing to chew the screen with manic glee as Commodus, Richard Harris lending a sense of gravitas as the aging Marcus Aurelius [whose Meditations is a book worth a look, as an aside], and Oliver Reed in his last role, portraying the slave trader/former gladiator Proximo.
Fans of the film may bristle at its tendency to ignore history when it’s convenient, and while Marcus Aurelius wasn’t Mister Save The Republic [among other historical mistakes, including a big one that I won’t write here because it would be spoileriffic], I’m not someone who goes to watch a feature film expecting it to be a documentary, instead. So, if you can put aside any historical purist tendencies you may have, you’ll find a really entertaining flick.
The plot, in a nutshell, is… well, the aforementioned “Hero’s Journey,” really. To be more specific, however, Crowe’s General Maximus manages to be a good man, and in so doing winds up running afoul of the new emperor in town, Commodus. Eventually, that means his crossing paths with Proximo and becoming a gladiator, making his way back to Rome, and the character arc is then neatly resolved. A basic story structure, but very well told. Ridley Scott does err a bit overmuch on the side of the “it’s a battle scene – bring on more shaky-cam!” approach to cinematography. We get it, Ridley; it’s meant to convey the chaos of battle, but there are more effective ways of getting that point across to the audience. Just the scene where Maximus almost kills his own soldier during the battle scene at the beginning would get the job done, for example. Anyway, niggling details notwithstanding, the cinematography and editing are top notch, and Hans Zimmer’s score here is perhaps his best. It really does elevate an already very good film into greatness.
In the unlikely event that you haven’t seen this one [it seems to be on TBS and a few other channels with regularity], then please do carve out a couple of hours at some point to give it a try. There’s even a little, gory nod to the iconic chariot race in BEN-HUR. Enjoy!
P.S. Apparently, some folks in Christian circles felt that the title of the film was a bit of salacious wordplay. Propriety keeps me from spelling it out, but if you sound it out one. syllable. at. a. time. you may figure out why they were peeved. If you find it amusing, however, I can only ask:
If only KINGDOM OF HEAVEN had had a more charismatic lead… oh, let’s say someone like Russell Crowe. Ironically, GLADIATOR came along several years before Scott’s other flick, and while he refined his cinematic style, perhaps he should have considered the “leading man who can carry a film” factor. Crowe definitely fit that billing in this one, winning an Oscar for his portrayal of the “Spaniard,” a.k.a. Maximus. There’s a lot that can be said of all the lead actors in this one, honestly, with Joaquin Phoenix continuing to chew the screen with manic glee as Commodus, Richard Harris lending a sense of gravitas as the aging Marcus Aurelius [whose Meditations is a book worth a look, as an aside], and Oliver Reed in his last role, portraying the slave trader/former gladiator Proximo.
Fans of the film may bristle at its tendency to ignore history when it’s convenient, and while Marcus Aurelius wasn’t Mister Save The Republic [among other historical mistakes, including a big one that I won’t write here because it would be spoileriffic], I’m not someone who goes to watch a feature film expecting it to be a documentary, instead. So, if you can put aside any historical purist tendencies you may have, you’ll find a really entertaining flick.
The plot, in a nutshell, is… well, the aforementioned “Hero’s Journey,” really. To be more specific, however, Crowe’s General Maximus manages to be a good man, and in so doing winds up running afoul of the new emperor in town, Commodus. Eventually, that means his crossing paths with Proximo and becoming a gladiator, making his way back to Rome, and the character arc is then neatly resolved. A basic story structure, but very well told. Ridley Scott does err a bit overmuch on the side of the “it’s a battle scene – bring on more shaky-cam!” approach to cinematography. We get it, Ridley; it’s meant to convey the chaos of battle, but there are more effective ways of getting that point across to the audience. Just the scene where Maximus almost kills his own soldier during the battle scene at the beginning would get the job done, for example. Anyway, niggling details notwithstanding, the cinematography and editing are top notch, and Hans Zimmer’s score here is perhaps his best. It really does elevate an already very good film into greatness.
In the unlikely event that you haven’t seen this one [it seems to be on TBS and a few other channels with regularity], then please do carve out a couple of hours at some point to give it a try. There’s even a little, gory nod to the iconic chariot race in BEN-HUR. Enjoy!
P.S. Apparently, some folks in Christian circles felt that the title of the film was a bit of salacious wordplay. Propriety keeps me from spelling it out, but if you sound it out one. syllable. at. a. time. you may figure out why they were peeved. If you find it amusing, however, I can only ask:
