On March 25, 2001, millions of movie lovers across America cringed as Ridley Scott's Gladiator walked away with the top prize at the 73rd Academy Awards. Winning the prestigious Best Picture statuette, Scott's epic joined the ranks of iconic films such as Gone with the Wind, The Godfather and Schindler's List. Unlike these films, however, Gladiator amounts to little more than a silly project full of dull performances and lackluster special effects. With the 10-year anniversary of Gladiator's victory fast approaching, here is a look back at the controversial Oscar-winner.
The opening shots of Gladiator show a single hand meandering slowly through a field of grain. The hand, of course, belongs to Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), who serves as the film's insipid protagonist. Although Maximus spends most of the movie's 2 1/2-hour runtime clashing swords and mumbling cheesy lines, he often daydreams about his fields and family. Unfortunately, while a number of scattered shots acquaint the audience with the apparent hero's farmland, Maximus' wife and son appear only in brief glimpses.
A strong sense of duty and loyalty has torn Maximus away from his precious family and placed him on the field of battle. By reminding his troops of their simple lives and inviting them to "unleash hell," Maximus manages to spearhead a stunning victory against the tribes of Germania. His stalwart courage, unbending loyalty and God-fearing principles endear him to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, whose own son, Commodus, shows signs of unbridled ambition and immorality. The Emperor thus selects Maximus as the next protector of Rome. Sadly, this decision provokes the wrath of Commodus, who slays his father and orders the death of Maximus. Although Maximus manages to escape, he loses his son, his wife and his freedom.
Forced into slavery, Maximus must risk his life in a series of perilous fights. Each one brings him a step closer to his ultimate destination: the Coliseum. There, the hero hopes to cast off his shackles and avenge the deaths of his loved ones and his emperor. This section of the movie embraces the familiar formula of such classic films as Ben-Hur and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; the archetypal leading man rises from a position of weakness to overcome the corrupt and sinister schemer who caused his initial demise. Sadly, Gladiator lacks the freshness and flourish of those films. Even its ending feels manipulative and forced - it endeavors to both elicit an emotional response and conclude things in the happiest manner possible for the protagonist. Like the rest of the plot, the final scenes feel dull and overly tidy.
Even the film's famed battle scenes come across as choppy and disjointed; they rely too heavily on confusing close-ups and jerky camera movements. Still, these scenes at least provide a break from the boring dialogue that occupies the rest of the film. In his Oscar-winning performance as Maximus, Crowe is particularly unbearable. He seems to characterize drastic volume change as acting. With regards to both its plot and its technical aspects, Gladiator fails. Hopefully, this year's Best Picture winner will be more deserving than the insufferable Gladiator.
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