Do you have spare time and feel bored? Instead of wasting it with friends and family, why not watch Ridley Scott’s latest film Gladiator? It will truly demonstrate the meaning of boredom, leaving you frustrated. In this film, the muscular Russell Crowe portrays Maximus, a tough Roman general and a beloved figure of the dying Caesar, Marcus Aurelius (played by the elderly Richard Harris).
Caesar’s final desire is for Maximus to assume control of Rome until it is restored to the authority of the people. Nevertheless, Commodus, Caesar’s son and a despicable figure portrayed by the slender Joaquin Phoenix, desires to claim the title of Emperor of Rome. To achieve this, he ruthlessly murders his father and condemns Maximus to a gruesome execution. Maximus manages to escape but tragically learns of the brutal slaying of his wife and son. Eventually captured, he is forced into slavery and undergoes intense training to become a formidable gladiator.
In the arena, Maximus demonstrates his skills as a formidable gladiator, participating in intense and violent battles. His triumphs propel him to the coliseum in Rome where he can exact vengeance on Commodus, the emperor. Commodus, who is also Caesar’s son, is willing to do anything to ascend to the throne of Rome, including killing his own father due to being overlooked for rulership. It comes as no surprise that Joaquin Phoenix’s performance surpasses Hilary Duff’s portrayal as he truly embodies the most incredible character in the entire movie.
Fake emotion and fake tears were evident in every crying scene of the protagonist. Acting is about delivering a convincing performance, but I was not convinced at all. The character Maximus, portrayed as a ‘hero’, experiences the brutal murder of his wife and children because he refuses to rule. This plot twist was predictable. However, I must admit that Russell Crowe’s performance surpassed that of his rival, Commodus. The most captivating scene was the intense final confrontation between Maximus and the cunning Commodus. It was the only moment in the entire film where I felt truly intrigued about what would happen next.
The film’s plot was tedious and unengaging, starting with a battle scene reminiscent of Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” that lacks coherence. While there is a discernible narrative throughout most of the movie, it fails to capture my interest. Instead, I find myself daydreaming about the color of the ceiling. Furthermore, the plot drags on for an excessive duration of two and a half hours, resulting in a time-consuming and monotonous experience.
Despite attempting to create an exceptional action movie, the filmmaker failed to incorporate the fantastic elements effectively. The film mainly focuses on intense battle scenes, reminiscent of “Saving Private Ryan,” but Steven Spielberg executed them much more successfully. Insufficient attention was given to developing the monotonous plot, resulting in an imbalanced film. Initially, the scenes have a predominately blue tone, but soon dark and muddy scenes become more prevalent. Most of the time, the scenes are either muddy brown or as black as the midnight sky with minimal lighting.
Shadows engulfed half of the actor’s faces as they conversed; witnessing a film becomes nearly impossible without the ability to observe their expressions. Numerous abrupt scene changes during the brutal combat sequences rendered them astonishingly perplexing and confounding. Who was responsible for hiring the cameraman? The battle scenes raced past in a flurry of rapid, bewildering shots, leaving me utterly clueless about what had transpired. If I cannot comprehend the narrative of a film, how can it possibly entertain me? In general, I believe Gladiator was excessively lengthy. They ought to inject some more excitement into the plot; I have witnessed greater ingenuity on a blank sheet of paper! Consequently, I would bestow upon this film a substandard rating of 2/10.
Maximus, I can assure you that I am not amused, and this experience has taught me to never complain about being bored again.
