Saw this one today--it's a MUST SEE. I will purchase it when it comes out.
Be warned, it is NOT for the squeamish. The battles and the arena go beyond
Braveheart--they reminded me of Saving Private Ryan, particularly the battle
against the German barbarians in the beginning.
Here's the basic idea:
In 180 A.D., the emperor Marcus Aurelius is a dying old man. He has conquered all
kinds of territory in his 20 years, but is now wondering what it was worth when
Rome has become a horrible dictatorship and the Senate is nearly powerless. His
daughter, Lucilla, is brilliant but somewhat corruptible and could not bbea Caesar
anyway because she's a woman. His son, Commodus, is impatient, ambitious, has
no sense of justice and hates the father, though he loves his sister. Aurelius brings
everyone together at the front for the final battle in Germania, which leads
Commodus to believe he's about to be crowned successor.
But Aurelius wants his brilliant general, Maximus, to save the Republic. He wants to
give Maximus the power of the Caesar so that Maximus can restore the republic.
Maximus just wants to go home, and he knows what's likely to happen to the man
who tries to restore the Senate. He doesn't want to do that, but he can't swear
allegiance to Commodus even though they were friends as children.
When the old man dies, things get REALLY crazy. The action is disturbing, but also
awe-inspiring. Russell Crowe is brilliant as Maximus, and whoever the old man who
plays Proximo is, he's great too. Just a brilliant film, but like I said, if the graphic
violence bothers you, this is not for you. I predict there will be the type of surge
of public interest in the Gladiators and all things Roman that SPR caused for WWII
vets. Gave me the same reaction as SPR--I'm glad I didn't live then.
The only bad points are the long inspection of Commodus at the beginning, with
him examining his relationship with his father, and some of the melodrama near the
end. Easily excused and seriously, the only weaknesses of the film. Well, that and
the way they sometimes keep the background music louder than the quiet dialogue
so you can't hear what the Hell they're saying!
Cool line of the film:
"Stay close, and keep the line dressed, until we are upon them. And if you should
find yourself suddenly riding alone, under a warm sun surrounded by green grass,
do not be alarmed, for you are in Elysium.....and you're already dead!
What we do in life, echoes in eternity."
Spoken to the Roman cavalry before the battle in Germania.
Oh, and there's a very interesting debate going on the whole time--give power back to the Senate to re-create the Republic, which is the "dream that Rome was?"
Some characters want to, but then "the people" are the howling mob watching 64 straight days of gladiatorial combat and accepting the tyranny of Commodus because of it. Interesting, no?
Be warned, it is NOT for the squeamish. The battles and the arena go beyond
Braveheart--they reminded me of Saving Private Ryan, particularly the battle
against the German barbarians in the beginning.
Here's the basic idea:
In 180 A.D., the emperor Marcus Aurelius is a dying old man. He has conquered all
kinds of territory in his 20 years, but is now wondering what it was worth when
Rome has become a horrible dictatorship and the Senate is nearly powerless. His
daughter, Lucilla, is brilliant but somewhat corruptible and could not bbea Caesar
anyway because she's a woman. His son, Commodus, is impatient, ambitious, has
no sense of justice and hates the father, though he loves his sister. Aurelius brings
everyone together at the front for the final battle in Germania, which leads
Commodus to believe he's about to be crowned successor.
But Aurelius wants his brilliant general, Maximus, to save the Republic. He wants to
give Maximus the power of the Caesar so that Maximus can restore the republic.
Maximus just wants to go home, and he knows what's likely to happen to the man
who tries to restore the Senate. He doesn't want to do that, but he can't swear
allegiance to Commodus even though they were friends as children.
When the old man dies, things get REALLY crazy. The action is disturbing, but also
awe-inspiring. Russell Crowe is brilliant as Maximus, and whoever the old man who
plays Proximo is, he's great too. Just a brilliant film, but like I said, if the graphic
violence bothers you, this is not for you. I predict there will be the type of surge
of public interest in the Gladiators and all things Roman that SPR caused for WWII
vets. Gave me the same reaction as SPR--I'm glad I didn't live then.
The only bad points are the long inspection of Commodus at the beginning, with
him examining his relationship with his father, and some of the melodrama near the
end. Easily excused and seriously, the only weaknesses of the film. Well, that and
the way they sometimes keep the background music louder than the quiet dialogue
so you can't hear what the Hell they're saying!
Cool line of the film:
"Stay close, and keep the line dressed, until we are upon them. And if you should
find yourself suddenly riding alone, under a warm sun surrounded by green grass,
do not be alarmed, for you are in Elysium.....and you're already dead!
What we do in life, echoes in eternity."
Spoken to the Roman cavalry before the battle in Germania.
Oh, and there's a very interesting debate going on the whole time--give power back to the Senate to re-create the Republic, which is the "dream that Rome was?"
Some characters want to, but then "the people" are the howling mob watching 64 straight days of gladiatorial combat and accepting the tyranny of Commodus because of it. Interesting, no?
