Russell Crowe STARS as Maximus, a Roman General and loyal servant to Caesar Marcus Aurillius.
When Marcus is murdered, by his son Commodus, Maximus refuses to serve the new emperor and is therefore ordered to be murdered. Commodus, also orders Maximus’s family murdered.
Maximus escapes the guards who attempt to kill him and makes it home to Spain despite suffering a nasty shoulder wound. Upon returning home he finds his family slaughtered before collapsing through his injuries.
When he comes too, he has been taken into slavery and is bought by Oliver Reed to fight as a Gladiator.
Meanwhile back in Rome, in order to honour his fathers memory Commodus decides to host games in the colosseum that will run for 100 days, re-enacting great battles with Gladiators.
Maximus and his fellow slaves become a great team and are called to Rome for the games with vengeance being the only thing on Maximus’s mind.
Firstly, this is Ridley Scotts’ best film, Gladiator well and truly kicks ass.
Russell Crowe is superb as Maximus and Phoenix is very good as the scheming Commodus.
The film cracks along and never feels like a 2 ½ hour feature, maybe I’m a sicko but films where people get chopped in half or have their faces smashed in do it for me.
The special effects are awesome, you’d think the colosseum was still there it looks so good.
The score by Hans Zimmer works brilliantly with the film.
What more can I say, AWESOME.