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Continued from Page 36sand epics, especially 1964’s “Fall of the Roman Empire” with Alec Guinness as Marcus Aurelius and Christopher Plummer as Commodus. Stephen Boyd played the general, called Livius.In “Gladiator,” Maximus’ black Tonto, played by Djimon Hounsou, recalls Woody Strode’s loyal warrior from“Spartacus.” Commodus’ sister Lucilla apparently had a hot love affair with Maximus once, but Connie Nielsen plays her with such stony superficiality that she doesn’t project half the desire for him as Commodus does for her.(In hindsight, it might have been intriguing to cast Angelina Jolie and her brother as Lucilla and Commodus.)Viewers expecting bloody quality kills won’t be disappointed in “Gladiator.” Blood spurts from severed limbs.Chariot crashes crush contenders. Arrows pierce heads. The carnage looks morbidly authentic, but one Coliseum contest uses cheesy computer-generated lions and tigers.Nonetheless, “Gladiator” has its moments of magic, especially an early battle in which Maximus’ troops soften up opposing troops by hurling fireballs into their ranks.It’s what the helicopter attack sequence from “Apocalypse Now” would have looked like in the second century.
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Arlington Heights Daily Herald Suburban Chicago
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Fri, May 05, 2000
Page 114
Full Page
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USA 31 Oct 2022
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