The Cinephile’s Journey: Gladiator

Recommendation: 5/5 Stars

The Cinephile’s Journey is an attempt to watch and review every film that has won The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Oscar for Best Picture.

Plot: “A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.” -IMDB

Review: Gladiator is a work of historical fiction. To tell its story, it often invents characters, combines stories, and betrays the speed of political change. This is important to understand from the outset. While this film never claims to be based on a true story, I often see this movie panned for being a work of imagination based on actual characters and historical events. In my estimation, if you can understand this reality from the outset, this becomes a story with a powerful and profound message.

The first thing that strikes me about this film is the scale. Rome spilled blood from northern Europe, to the sands of Africa, to the Atlantic Ocean, and to the far reaches of the middle east. The lengths and size of its conquests are incomprehensible to me. In a world of nation states, its empire baffles my mind. How it expressed its power and wealth with massive projects such as the Coliseum is the very definition of opulent and excessive.

Second, after years of expansion and imperial rule, a dying Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) longs for Rome to return to democratic rule as a republic. To achieve this aim, he looks to his loyal general, Maximus (Russell Crowe), to oversee the transition. Maximus is more than a general. He is a son, or at least the son, Marcus Aurelius, wishes he had.

Sadly, these plans never come to fruition, because the allure of absolute power is a compromising truth too hard to ignore. Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), Marcus Aurelius’ actual son, after learning of his father’s decision, betrays his father and buries any idea of democracy by ordering the death of Maximus.

If he cannot see the wishes of dying man through, at the very least, Maximus can push home and return to his wife and son. This hope becomes a mission statement. It serves as inspiration to escape death and ride home as quickly as possible. What he discovers when he arrives home changes the course of this film.

Stolen into slavery, Maximus’ fate becomes that of a warrior and gladiator serving the gluttonous and fatted calf that is Rome. Before Maximus are two choices. The first is apathy, leading to death. The second is an opportunity to lead an uprising that will bring him to Rome to face the man who stole everything from him. With a little motivation, he becomes solely focused on revenge.  

The third and final thing that strikes about this film is the fragility of democracy. If we ordinary people represent the mob, we represent a powerful political force. When we feel secure, and as if better days are before us, then we will tolerate almost anything like strangers killing each other for our entertainment inside the Coliseum. If we are not satisfied, emperors and senators elected to represent fear our power. Representing opposing sides of this reality, this movie presents Commodus as a power hungry ruler believing he is the father of Rome. On the other end, stands Maximus with a desire to fulfill the dying wishes of an emperor and to return Rome to the people.

For me, their interactions within the walls of the Coliseum are symbolic of the power struggle between authoritarianism and democracy. With each encounter, the pendulum swings closer toward the will of the people. As the last battle plays out, we bear witness to the scale of Rome’s power, the longing for change, and the sacrifice needed for that change. As the credits rolled, I once again felt amazement to witness such a struggle so beautifully told.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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