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MOVIE REVIEWGladiator★ ★ ViOpens todayWritten by David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson. Produced by Douglas Wick, Branko Lustig and David Franzoni. Directed by Ridley Scott. A DreamWorksViolent ‘Gladiator’ succumbs to war of visual stylesBy Dann GireDaily Herald Film Criticidley Scott must have overdosed on viewings of the beach-landing sequence from “Saving Private Ryan” just before he directed the brutal fight scenes in “Gladiator.”He adopts the same jumpy, quick-cut, compressed editing style of “Private Ryan,” created by dropping out frames of film to intensify the stress of the landing.This device worked because it emulated the stark, erratic, bleached-out look of World War H documentary films.But in “Gladiator,” it doesn’t fit. The rhythm feels too modern for a story set during 180 AD. The documentary or cinema verite approach doesn’t have the ring of ancient authenticity we’ve come to associate with classic sword-and-sandal epics.A spectacle like “Gladiator” hasn’t been seen at the local Bijou for almost three decades, since 1980’s “Caligula” — complete with hard-core sex scenes inserted between the violent ones.Scott’s eagerly anticipated “Gladiator” contains almost zero sex. The pillaging and raping by Roman soldiers occurs offscreen, and the three main characters barely relate to each other, let alone share sexual chemistry.The amazing Russell Crowe, last seen as the pasty, paunchy, middle-aged tobacco chemist in “The Insid er,” slims down and toughens up to play a Roman general with the lamentable name of Maximus. Forty years ago, this role would have been played by Victor Mature, square-jawed actor not known for his range, but then, the stoic Maximus doesn’t need much.Rome’s greatest general, Maximus has won the admiration ofFilms release. Rated R (extreme violence). Running time: 150 minutes.Cast:Maximus........................Russell CroweCommodus..................Joaquin PhoenixLucilla...........................Connie NielsenProximo..............................Oliver ReedJuba...........................Djimon HounsouMarcus Aurelius..............Richard HarrisEmperor/philosopher Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), who wishes to name him to the throne after he dies.This doesn’t sit well with Commodus, the emperor’s own son, played with a nervous, effeminate edge by Joaquin Phoenix. To gain the crown, Commodus kills Dad, then orders the execution of Maximus, his son and wife, but only gets two out of three.The general escapes, only to fall victim to a slave trader named Proximo (the late Oliver Reed, who cah barely keep the lid on his own brand of canned ham). From here, “Gladiator” falls back on the narrative chestnut of the struggling slave vowing to one day avenge his murdered family.“Gladiator” doesn’t strike any blows for innovation. Its plot has been cob bled together from earlier blood-and-See ‘GLADIATOR’ on Page 45Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), left, taunts Maximus (Russell Crowe) in the period action adventure “Gladiator.”
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Arlington Heights Daily Herald Suburban Chicago
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Fri, May 05, 2000
Page 106
Full Page
Clipped by
Rotten T.
USA 31 Oct 2022
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