Gladiator...epic, or just good movie?

[KennyG]

So where do you stand on this movie?
It takes await to realize epic status, one quality of an epic is it's ability to entertain, and pull you in veiwing after veiwing. Can this movie do that? After my second veiwing (last night) I know I'll be going back.
An epic needs every actor to believe in the story and direction so completely that they sell you on their characters from the opening to the end credits...for me this is also realized. Individually, and collectively some of the best acting of this year.
It needs a good plot, this may be a bit of a stumbling block...but I'm not sure of that...lets see.
Commodus, has longed all his life for love, love from his father, and family. However his father can not love him,he has no respect for the type person his son is, a back stabbing weasel...no respect, no love.
So Commodus turns his needs toward his sister, this need for fatherly love is manifested as a need for physical love from her. She is both repulsed and afraid of him, not afraid for herself, afraid for her son. At one time we're lead to believe she may have been an "underhanded bitch", but now she has grown, and cares only about one thing, the safety of her son, and she plays all parties to that end. That is a very good subplot.
Anyone want to dig deeper???

[Ken McDaniel]

OK, I'll tangle it. I liked this movie more the second time than the first. Maybe it's the fact it sounds better in my house than in a theater. But I realized a few things. First, the cinematography is epic. Whether CGI or real, it's the scope of the shot that leaves you breathless. The grand shots of the colosseum, the Germanian battlefields, the far outreaches of the Roman provinces. They left me saying wow with composition and color. The characters were indeed larger than life. Russell Crowe plays a tragic hero by the true definition of the term. Juaquin Phoenix's Commodeus grows more dispicable every time I see the film. I could go on, but for now I'll cut it there. EPIC.




Ken

[Patrick Sun]

I saw this film at the theaters, and I also own it in DVD. It took me 4 separate sittings to get through it on the 2nd viewing. Perhaps it's me, but I didn't find Connie Nielsen's or Joachin Phoenix's performance engaging at all. They seem to be perfunctionary at best. I never did "connect" with Maximus. I did like Oliver Reed's performance - wouldn't mind it if he got a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

To me, Gladiator is a decent Revenge film, but not an epic. I may watch the bonus material and Ebay this DVD. I found the CGI not done as well as it should have looked (i.e. if I found the CGI easily discernible, then it bothered me in those scenes). Sorry to be a wet blanket.




PatCave; HT Pix;Gear;DIY Projects;DVDs; LDs

[KennyG]

I thought Joaquin Phoenix's understated character, Commodus, was done to perfection, cold and calculating, but never over the top.
Russel Crowe is quickly becoming the next big box office draw...in fact "the Insider" got him started, but I think Gladiator puts him over the top.
The deleted scenes are great, I beleive most of them belong in this movie, maybe someday we'll get the extended version. The execution scene seemed to me to be a must, I'm not sure why it was ever deleted in the first place...but I'm only a fan, not the director.
That's O.K. bring on the "wet blankets", that's what make this fun, if we all agreed...I wouldn't write this. (o.k. maybe I would)

[Huskerduck]

Hows about a Damp Blanket?
Actually the DTS soundtrack was outstanding as well as the "extras" especially for $14.99
Cinemotagraphy was outstanding even If it was alot of CGI ( I figure in a couple years movies will be about 90% CGI and Lucus cant even get anything out on DVD...Hmmmmmmm)
I found the story itself pretty simple but with great appearances by a couple definate Pros as well as a good job by a couple newcomers like Joaquin Phoenix while being easy to hate was just as easy to feel a little pain for
It was surely one of this years disasterously bad years best, But Epic??? I dunno but the wife loved it ( what is it about Gladiators? Lack of clothing?)




Mark


Ducks Meager Theater

[Lexman]

Hmmm, I had to pay more than 14.99 for Gladiator, I guess that's what I get for waiting. Now, I can't decide whether to keep it or not from the mixed sentiment about it.

Lex