A brave commander, the Roman general Maximus commands the troops of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. When the latter is killed by his own son Commodus, Maximus is forced to flee but is unable to prevent the massacre of his family.
Captured by a slave trader, he is sold to a Mauretanian Lanist, who turns him into a gladiator. The former officer now wields his sword in the sands of the arena, thinking only of finding Commodus to enact his revenge.
Released in 2000 and available on Netflix, Gladiator marks the revival of the peplum, a founding genre of cinema that had been dormant for several decades and had its heyday in the early 1960s with films such as Ben-Hur or Spartacus.
Other “new generation” butterflies soon followed – such as the excellent Troy in 2004 – the Gladiator was often imitated but never equaled. Ridley Scott himself would try unsuccessfully to transform the trial with Exodus, but would never regain his gladiator powers.
A powerful and unifying story, like the imperious Russell Crowe, the film is consistently animated by an irresistible epic spirit, from its breathtaking opening scene on a German battlefield to its final moments in the Coliseum in Rome. .
The film’s highlights also include Ridley Scott’s impassioned staging, Joaquin Phoenix’s excellent early-career performance, and Hans Zimmer’s virtuoso performance.
So many elements that would allow Gladiator to receive an average score of 4,487 out of 5, its director’s best film according to AlloCiné viewers, followed by Alien (4,362 out of 5) and Blade Runner (4,187 out of 5).
Gladiator also won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe.
(Re)discover all the little hidden details of the movie…
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
