Gladiator is a 2000 British and American epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays General Maximus Decimus Meridius, favorite of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius who is betrayed and murdered by his unhinged son, Commodus (Phoenix). After refusing to take Commodous's hand in loyalty as the new Caesar, Commodus orders his execution. Maximus escapes his execution squad and rushes home to his family, only to arrive too late - they are dead. Collapsing in exhaustion, he's captured and enslaved along the outer fringes of the Roman empire, then rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murder of his family and his Emperor.
Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, it was a box office success, receiving generally good reviews, and was credited with briefly reviving the historical epic. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards including five Academy Awards in the 73rd Academy Awards| Gladiator | |
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 Promotional movie poster | |
| Directed by | Ridley Scott |
| Produced by | Douglas Wick David Franzoni Branko Lustig |
| Written by | Screenplay: David Franzoni John Logan William Nicholson Story: David Franzoni |
| Starring | Russell Crowe Joaquin Phoenix Connie Nielsen Oliver Reed Derek Jacobi Djimon Hounsou and Richard Harris |
| Music by | Hans Zimmer Lisa Gerrard |
| Cinematography | John Mathieson |
| Editing by | Pietro Scalia |
| Distributed by | Domestic: DreamWorks International: Universal Studios |
| Release date(s) | Australia May 4, 2000 United States May 5, 2000 |
| Running time | Theatrical Cut: 154 min. Extended Cut: 171 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $103,000,000[1][2] |
| Gross revenue | $457,640,427 |
Plot
Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius, a native of Hispania, leads the Roman Army to victory against Germanic barbarians in the year A.D. 180, ending a prolonged war, and earning the esteem of elderly Emperor Marcus Aurelius. As the battle ends, a son and daughter of the Emperor arrive, Commodus and Lucilla.
The dying Aurelius decides to appoint leadership to the morally-upstanding Maximus, with a desire to eventually return power to the Roman Senate, effectively reviving the Republic. Aurelius informs Maximus before telling Commodus, who, in a bout of jealousy, murders his father. Declaring himself the emperor, Commodus asks Maximus for his loyalty, which Maximus, realizing Commodus' involvement in the Emperor's death, refuses. Commodus orders Maximus' execution and dispatches Praetorian Guards to murder his wife and son. Maximus narrowly escapes, but is injured in the process. He races home to discover his wife and son crucified in the smoldering ruins of his home. After burying them, Maximus succumbs to exhaustion and collapses.
Slave traders find Maximus and take him to Zucchabar, a rugged province in North Africa, where he is purchased by Antonius Proximo, the head of a gladiator school. Maximus initially refuses to fight, but as he defends himself in the arena his formidable combat skills lead to a rise in popularity with the audience. Known as "The Spaniard", he trains and fights further, and befriends Hagen, a Germanic barbarian, and Juba, a Numidian hunter.
In Rome, Commodus reopens the gladiatorial games to pay tribute to his father and gain the favor of the people, and Proximo's gladiators are hired to participate. During a reenactment of the Battle of Zama from the Second Punic War, Maximus leads Proximo's gladiators, in the guise of Hannibal's forces, to a decisive victory against a more powerful force to the amazement of the crowd and emperor. Commodus descends into the arena to meet the victors and instructs "The Spaniard" to remove his helmet and tell him his name. An angry Maximus shows his face and reveals his identity. The Emperor, unable to kill Maximus because of the crowd's approval for him, leaves the arena. As the games continue, Commodus pits Maximus against Tigris of Gaul, Rome's only undefeated gladiator, in an arena surrounded by chained tigers. Maximus defeats Titus, and by not killing him, deliberately insults Commodus by directly defying his orders. The crowd cheers Maximus, bestowing him the title "Merciful". Commodus becomes more frustrated at his inability to kill Maximus, let alone stop his ascending popularity.
Maximus finds his former servant Cicero, who reveals that Maximus's army remains loyal to him. Maximus forms a plot with Lucilla and Senator Gracchus to rejoin his army and overthrow Commodus. Suspecting his sister's betrayal, Commodus threatens her young son and forces her to reveal the plot. Praetorian guards immediately storm Proximo's gladiator barracks, battling the gladiators while Maximus escapes. Hagen and Proximo are killed in the siege while Juba and the survivors are imprisoned. Maximus escapes to the city walls only to witness Cicero's death and be captured by a legion of Praetorian guards.
Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel in front of a full audience in the Colosseum. Acknowledging that Maximus's skill exceeds his own, Commodus stabs Maximus with a stiletto, puncturing his lung, and has the wound concealed. In the arena, the two exchange blows before Maximus rips the sword from Commodus's hands. Maximus drops his own sword, but Commodus pulls a hidden stiletto and renews his attack. Maximus then kills Commodus with his own stiletto, plunging it into his neck. As Commodus collapses in the now-silent Colosseum, a dying Maximus begins seeing his wife and son in the afterlife. He reaches for them, but is pulled back to reality by Quintus, who asks for instructions. Maximus orders the release of Proximo's gladiators and the reinstatement of Senator Gracchus, instructing him to return Rome to a Senate-based government. Maximus then dies and wanders into the afterlife to his family. Senator Gracchus, Quintus, and Proximo's gladiators carry his body out of the Colosseum, leaving Commodus behind. That night, Juba returns to an empty Colosseum, and speaks of seeing Maximus in the afterlife.
Cast
- Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius: a Hispano-Roman general in Germania, turned slave who seeks revenge against Commodus. He had been under the favor of Marcus Aurelius, and the admiration of Lucilla prior to the events of the film. His home is near Trujillo (in today's Cáceres, Spain). After the murder of his family he vows vengeance. Maximus is a fictional character partly inspired by Marcus Nonius Macrinus, Narcissus, Spartacus, Cincinnatus, and Maximus of Hispania.
- Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus: a vain, power hungry and sociopathic young man, Commodus murders his father and desires his own sister, Lucilla. He becomes the emperor of Rome upon his father's death.
- Connie Nielsen as Lucilla: the older child of Marcus Aurelius, Lucilla has been recently widowed. She tries to resist the incestuous lust of her brother while protecting her son, Lucius.
- Djimon Hounsou as Juba: a Numidian tribesman who is taken from his home and family by slave traders. He becomes Maximus's close ally during their shared hardships.
- Oliver Reed as Antonius Proximo: an old and gruff gladiator trainer who buys Maximus in North Africa. A former gladiator himself, he was freed by Marcus Aurelius, and gives Maximus his own armor and eventually a chance at freedom.
- Derek Jacobi as Senator Gracchus: one of the senators who opposed Commodus's leadership, who eventually agrees to aid Maximus in his overthrow of the Emperor.
- Ralf Moeller as Hagen: a Germanian and Proximo's chief gladiator who later befriends Maximus and Juba during their battles in Rome.
- Spencer Treat Clark as Lucius Verus: the son of Lucilla. He admires Maximus and incurs the wrath of his uncle, Commodus, by impersonating the gladiator. Lucius is a free-spirit and likes his uncle at first until Commodus's true sinister nature comes to the fore. He is named after Lucius Verus, his alleged father and co-ruler of Marcus Aurelius.
- Richard Harris as Marcus Aurelius: an emperor of Rome who desires to return Rome to a republican form of government but is murdered by his son Commodus before his wish is fulfilled.
- Tommy Flanagan as Cicero: a Roman soldier and Maximus's loyal servant who provides him with information while Maximus is enslaved.
- Tomas Arana as General Quintus: another Roman general and former friend to Maximus. Made commander of the Praetorian guards by Commodus, earning his loyalty until Commodus orders the execution of his men.
- John Shrapnel as Gaius: another senator who is in close correspondence to Gracchus.
- David Schofield as Senator Falco: a Patrician, a senator opposed to Gracchus. Helps Commodus consolidate his power.
- Sven-Ole Thorsen as Titus of Gaul: an undefeated gladiator who is called out of retirement to duel Maximus.
- David Hemmings as Cassius: runs the gladiatorial games in the Colosseum.
- Giannina Facio, Maximus's wife.
- Giorgio Cantarini, Maximus's son.
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