Sound and a great plot aren’t the films only strong points. Camera shots and lighting add the finishing touches to this spectacular film. Each camera angle has been meticulously planned from the extreme close-ups of Maximus and the long shots of his family, to the high angled shots of the computer generated Rome, with the sunlight breaking through the clouds, highlighting the empires full beauty.
Gladiator is a film with a truly tremendous scale; this not only shows in its technical grandeur but also in its many story lines, which entwine with perfection.
The main story line follows the brave and true Roman General, Maximus Decimus Meridus who commands his troops with a forceful respect; The opening sequence pits Maximus and his men against their adversaries, the Germanics, in a battle that marks the end of a long campaign to bring peace to the Northern frontier of the Empire. Once achieved, the victorious Maximus returns to the front, only to find that the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) intends to name Maximus as successor to the Empire. This being very bad news indeed for the Emperor’s son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who is determined to rule the Empire on his own. Unfortunately he is an arrogant, selfish, and cowardly but skilled Roman who exhibits a twisted insecurity, with a incestuous lust for his sister Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). The irate Commodus murders his father in a fit of jealousy, and orders his men to execute Maximus. Maximus, in true Hollywood style, is always one step ahead, and manages to sidestep Commodus’ evil scheme, but discovers, to his horror, that he is now “Father to a murdered son, Husband to a murdered wife.”
To make things worse Maximus is banished to a distant outpost of the mighty Empire, and held captive as a slave. Maximus continues, plotting what he is going to do next, but all he can see is a burning red and wants to claim the revenge he so deserves. A master fighter, Maximus is taken under the wing of the slave master, an ex-gladiator, Proximo (Oliver Reed, who died during filming). Proximo proudly takes his band of merry gladiators to Rome, to participate in Commodus’ popular 150 Days of Games, held at the Coliseum. Maximus makes a lasting first impression on the Romans, and a mortal enemy in the startled Commodus. Revenge has never been so bloody, nor so sweet.
Just like many Hollywood films, “Gladiator” shares a Shakespearean parallel. In fact there are two main parallels in this film. Firstly is the parallel between itself and “Macbeth,” where Mac duff’s wife and family are brutally killed on the orders of Macbeth, this later converts to a revenge which drives Mac duff to kill Macbeth. Similar events take place in “Gladiator,” with Commodus ordering the killing of Maximus’ family; Maximus then looks to seek revenge.
The second parallel is that of the “Tempest,” where Prospero does not allow Ariel, his slave, freedom until the end of the play. This is again, similarities in “Gladiator,” where Proximo does not really allow Maximus to be free until he wins his freedom; also in both the “Tempest” and “Gladiator” the two people that deserve freedom the most do not have it, this is a ironic stereotype that is included in a lot of films,
This is a film that surpasses the imagination. Rome, digitally enhanced from the present-day ruins to its perfection in 180 A.D. Costumes appear so natural and real along with the array of battle hardware.
The battles are fast and furious, accurate and tense to the last thrust of the sword, and thud of the shield. On horseback, in chariots, on foot with swords to armies in the thousands, each battle scene leaves you bewildered with its shear size and magnitude.
Go, get thee to a theatre, and hastily.
