Rating of
4/4
26. Gladiator.........
Mr. B.K. Tinney - wrote on 04/25/09
Masterfully directed by Ridley Scott and starring an equally impressive Russell Crowe, this movie is one of my favorites of the past decade. Crowe plays Maximus, the heralded Roman general who is chosen by the aging Caesar Marcus Aurelius (played perfectly by Richard Harris) to succeed him as ruler of Rome. Having heard of this news, Aurelius' son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) murders his father out of jealousy and has Maximus and his family killed while taking the thrown for himself. Maximus escapes death but having been too late for his wife and son gives up on life and becomes a gladiator. Little does he know that it will bring him to the Colosseum to the blood thirsty crowd of Rome that includes the new Caesar in Commodus. It is then that he will set out to get his revenge. Dijmon Hounsou, Connie Nelson and Oliver Reed all turn in great supporting roles but it is the work of Phoenix that is nothing short of brilliant as the psychotic, unloved and crazed Caesar. A great action movie that just misses my Top 25...............
