"Are You Not Entertained" Asked Maximus Calmly

Gladiator, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, is a must-watch blockbuster.

Intro

Gladiator, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, stars Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. While most historical-themed pictures are relatively tame, this film features powerful performances, breathtaking music, and iconic lines. Winning five academy awards, including best picture and best actor, the film has become a certified classic and highly popular among all audiences.

Masterclass Of Storytelling

Gladiator is relatively long compared to many of the newer films, but even at the time of release, a 2-hour 40-minute film was quite long. While many potential problems revolving around the extended runtime may have arisen for the film, including audience retention, Ridley Scott’s execution of the story is masterful and helps the audience lose track of time. The script has the usual three-act format, and the character arc also follows the Hero’s Journey structure. These formats and structures are helpful for building a solid foundation, but at the same time, they tend to make the film entirely predictable. Fortunately, this is not the case for Gladiator. From start to finish, the film stays enjoyable and entertaining, primarily due to the developed fantastic characters.

Natural Born Actors

Gladiator showcases breathtaking action sequences and a powerful plot, but the acting solidifies its place as a modern classic. Maximus, the protagonist who was the general of the roman army, is played by Russell Crowe. The breakthrough performance that Crow gives in the film is what earned him his only Oscar. He doesn’t just play the role but becomes it himself; on the silver screen, Crowe and Maximus are inseparable. And while Joaquin Phoenix didn’t win an academy award for his portrayal of the antagonist Commodus, his performance is arguably the best of the entire film. The acting from both comes off as effortless and natural, with no overreactions or emotional exaggerations needed. Yet one more factor makes Gladiator the epic movie it is.

All Hail Zimmer

Hans Zimmer, arguably the greatest film composer of all time, creates magic once again. Every soundtrack of this movie is not just good but absolutely perfect and filled with emotions setting the tone of each scene. The tracks also help foreshadow throughout the film, giving the audience an idea of what will come. Nowadays, Zimmer is more well known for his works in Pirates of the Caribbean, Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Inception, and more. However, while one of his earliest works, the Gladiator soundtrack also remains one of his best.

Closing Critiques

Gladiator is one of the many masterful works of Ridley Scott and an all-time classic. Everything in this film, from the plot to the acting, to the cinematography to the composed soundtracks, breathe life into a powerful story. Simply put, it’s a must-watch blockbuster.

Raving Rating: 8.3