There's much to be said in the positive side for this film. In this case, the general-gladiator's fame spreads throughout all of the land because of his namesake being attached to a certain olive oil, which further enrages the maniacal son of the good Emperor that died. It's not hard to see the evolution of the society in the many links to today.Īfter winning a few lopsided battles against some over zealous opponents, sponsors begin to line up to recruit the fame of the talent for promotion of their products, not unlike a sports star now promoting shoes they don't wear or products they never use. The people's affinity for gambling is also prevalent in the script, one of the weaknesses of the past and the present. recording the daily events in the Italian capital link the historical adventure to more present day counterparts. Little details like the Ferrari of their day in the fast light chariots, to the newspapers like the Daily Acts from 59 B.C. The accuracy of history from ancient times mixed with the story is astounding in detail. The script has many footnotes which lend credibility to it as well. There are no holds barred and the scenes are extremely graphic in nature, so be prepared for the reality of the "games" Rome used to play. Narcissus fights all variation of opponent in his quest for survival, to save his family and the true Rome he fought for so passionately once before. There is no doubting the total depravity of man while seeing images of gladiators tied to the bodies of dead people while trying to fight of oncoming opponents. The script accurately details what happened in that facility, but some of the brutality some may find sickening. THE GOOD: Having been to Italy myself and, while standing in the middle of Circus Maximus and the Coliseum, I've often times imagined the roar of the crowd as gladiators dueled or people were chased around the arena by hungry lions. They've screened it multiple times in Australia and the United States and the online buzz has been uncharacteristically very strong. The reaction to screenings so far has been extremely positive and the studio has been very anxious to spread positive word of mouth about the film. So, the hero of the wars becomes the hero of the games, again becoming a threat to the corrupt Commodus. Commodus own fears of betrayal and insurrection turn him into a raving lunatic, doing virtually anything to gain the approval of the sex-crazed and blood thirsty Romans. Through a sequence of events, he makes Marcus's twisted son Commodus mad and ends up destined for the blood soaked sand inside the Coliseum. We meet Maximus in all of his glory, as a general in the army, defending Marcus' Rome and expanding the territory of the Empire against the Germans. The general turned slave turned gladiator whose sole mission in life is to love his family and his country.
#Gladiator begins sex movie#
The ancient tapestry is brought to life with sure realism and beauty, that the viewer is swept into the movie without distraction. Basically, this is the depiction of life after Marcus Aurelius' reign, a look at Rome in it's glory days of the Coliseum. The First Draft Revised, April 1998 basic plotline is complicated, yet the history doesn't get in the way of the plotline. The cast rounds off with Djimon Hounsou, Tomas Arana, Spencer Treat Clark, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, and Oliver Reed as well. Confidential, The Insider) as star general gladiator Maximus, Joaquin Phoenix (To Die For, 8MM) as the evil Emperor Commodus, and Richard Harris, veteran actor and also a Oscar Nominee for " This Sporting Life" and "The Field" as Marcus Aurelius. Surround these talents with actors like the Oscar nominated Russell Crowe (L.A. Now in the year 2000, we can get an idea of life in 180 A.D.Īt the hands of capable director Ridley Scott (Alien, Hannibal, 1492, Blade Runner) and writer David Franzoni (Amistad), we're in for a treat if the movie captures half of the spirit and intensity of the written word. The script screams big budget and in the recent history of Hollywood, an epic undertaking like this would have never been attempted.īut times have changed.
Calling it the 'Titanic of 2000' is no exaggeration. WHAT'S IT ABOUT? It's an ambitious project from the start.