DAY 9 – GLADIATOR
In all honesty, I have heard some combination of three common replies when asking people about this film: “I have not watched that film in ages”, “I think I remember a few action scenes” and “Eh, I recall it being okay”. So it shocked me when I learned that this film was actually a juggernaut in 2000, scoring a Best Picture Oscar (along with 4 other wins and 7 other nominations….unreal) and a plethora of praise by critic and fan alike. Why the discrepancy? Now normally, it would help to give a basic summary of the plot and then my overall impressions. But that may not work as well here, seeing as my opinions changed as the film progressed. Bear with me on this.
We are given a basic summary, in both text and action, of the state of the glorious Roman Empire. It is the late 2nd century, and the reach of Emperor Marcus Aurelius would even make Leonidas and all of Sparta uneasy if opposed to it. One battle of resistance in the Germanic barbarian region is all that remains for peace on every frontier, and General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe, at his rugged best) is at the forefront of their triumph. Unrivaled in his combat abilities and the ability to lead with integrity, he is beloved by his soldiers and (as we learn) the Emperor as well. This presents a conflict when Aurelius, in his aged state, presents his intentions to pass the throne to Maximus instead of his biological son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix, much more charismatic when clean-shaven) – a decision Maximus is not too thrilled about, preferring to return for home to dote on his wife and young son. I am hoping that it does not give too much away, but let’s just say that it never ends well when a brooding character sees longed-for power slip through his hands.
(Insert rant, starting now. Vague spoilers, beware.) And for that matter, for an aging Emperor that has led a massive expense of the Empire, you would think Aurelius would be prepared for betrayal of some kind. Why not write a letter with his intentions just in case something goes wrong, if you are not going to have at the very least, what is he thinking when he attempts to console (to someone losing their sense of self-worth, for that matter) by basically “It’s not your fault you suck, it’s mine”?! Seriously? Give this guy a lecture on letting someone down easy! (End rant.)
Long story short, the way Aurelius is presented reveals a great deal about where Ridley Scott’s strengths and flaws as a director stick out. He is a near-unparalleled genius at battle and action sequences, immersing yourself in a way that gets your adrenaline pumping. That being said, especially in this film, some of the more dialogue-centered scenes feel a bit stiff and sometimes results in characters that feel tacked on for the sake of moving the plot forward. But as the power struggle ensues, and Aurelius’ vision of a return to republican government gets choked away, Phoenix and Crowe exhibit enough intensity and raw emotion to keep you interested in how events unfold. And when one of them makes a no-return choice and the other faces devastating losses for it (and they hold nothing back in revealing this, thank God), the action picks up and the film accelerates into overdrive.
From that point on, it becomes a raw revenge movie for Maximus even as he is captured and put into the slave trade (to fight as a gladiator dubbed “The Spaniard”, for public entertainment), channeling his inner pain into a tangible way to destroy the life that irreparably damaged his. Thankfully, once action is ingrained, it makes the characters introduced more compelling too. Oliver Reed, as Maximus’ buyer Proximo, magnificently fills the role of an aged warrior whose passion for the fighting in arenas is infectious; and since he died during the production of this film, what a way to show your magnetism on the screen to the end. A fellow gladiator named Juba (Djimon Hounsou) becomes his closest ally, and his natural charm serves well to develop the emotional dimension (e.g. regarding the afterlife) of Maximus’ progress. And Commodus’ sister Lucilla (Connie Neilsen), a former lover of Maximus, shows great strength and almost masculine poise in how she responds to the political chaos around her (which, admittedly, did sometimes feel a bit like “breathing scenes”, to give audience a chance to settle down between different battles), which helps us see how Maximus’ battle is somehow keeping hope for Aurelius’ vision alive.
So in essence, the incredibly brutal action scenes, authentic atmosphere and set design (at times, near-impossible to tell it is not really ancient Rome we’re seeing), and (mostly) compelling performances compensate for the occasional dry dialogue and excessively sharp separation of action and discussion. But…there must be a reason why Gladiator resonated more deeply than most other period pieces, and I may have an idea about it. What is sort of interesting to me, in the process of seeing Maximus claw and slash his way to his final destination, is how closely the gladiator scenes resemble our enjoyment of team sports today. Much like in ancient Rome, we idolize those willing to put themselves into such danger….but would usually prefer to see it from the stands. We do tend to be fickle about who we support and who we condemn as unworthy…but almost always, we will support those who deliver results in their competitions. And, sadly, even though we know the horrible toll such events take on “fighters” then and now, we still embrace it because it makes us experience life in its most intense manifestation….because it makes them feel alive too.
My apologies if this seems a bit too long-winded, because it is not intended to be. More than anything, just know that Gladiator is a film that effectively presents violence in a way that does not feel pretentious or slipped in for shock value (and there is a great deal of it, make no mistake). Ridley Scott does a great job of putting audiences in the moment, in a realistic manner that helps us sympathize with the plight of Maximus like we would for any well-told news story of a broken warrior, an aspiring athlete striving to be great again. Despite the slightly predictable storyline and the occasional faulty line or character, what I expected to be a glorified B-movie turned out to be much deeper and more personally relevant experience than I anticipated. Hopefully, the upcoming Super Bowl will be equally compelling – but don’t count on it if the Bears beat the Packers this weekend.
Score:
So I guess my thumb, in judgment, is pointing up
TOMORROW (DAY 10): GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER
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