A Review of Gladiator

A Review of Gladiator

Hail Caesar, and the return of the Roman Empire. From "Quo Vadis" to

"Spartacus", Hollywood has enjoyed a long and fore filling

relationship with the sword-and-sandals epics and Ridley Scott (Alien

& Blade Runner), has released a monumental spectacle; managing to make

this forgotten genre bigger, better and more bloody than ever before.

Ridley Scott shines as a director through "Gladiator." Not only has he

managed to create the multiple plots to this complex epic, but has

also used techniques that leave the audience breathless.

The latest technology has been used to its full potential in this

film, including flowing camera shots, crisp digital Dolby surround

sound and CGI to digitally recreate Rome to its former glory.

The massive fight scenes in "gladiator" take full advantage of this

technology, capturing every emotion and response of all the characters

and then presenting it to the audience in a way that has never before

been seen. The sound effects in "Gladiator" immerse viewers totally in

the film, using a combination of ambient sounds - the chanting crowd

in the coliseum, non-diegetic sounds - the emotion stirring music and

the accurate and gripping dialogue spoken seamlessly by all of the

actors/actresses.

Sound and a great plot aren't the films only strong points. Camera

shots and lighting add the finishing touches to this spectacular film.

Each camera angle has been meticulously planned from the extreme

close-ups of Maximus and the long shots of his family, to the high

angled shots of the computer generated Rome, with the sunlight

breaking through the clouds, highlighting the empires full b...

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...end of the play. This is

again, similarities in "Gladiator," where Proximo does not really

allow Maximus to be free until he wins his freedom; also in both the

"Tempest" and "Gladiator" the two people that deserve freedom the most

do not have it, this is a ironic stereotype that is included in a lot

of films,

This is a film that surpasses the imagination. Rome, digitally

enhanced from the present-day ruins to its perfection in 180 A.D.

Costumes appear so natural and real along with the array of battle

hardware.

The battles are fast and furious, accurate and tense to the last

thrust of the sword, and thud of the shield. On horseback, in

chariots, on foot with swords to armies in the thousands, each battle

scene leaves you bewildered with its shear size and magnitude.

Go, get thee to a theatre, and hastily.