Gladiator (2000)
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A betrayed Roman general becomes a gladiator to seek vengeance against the emperor who murdered his family.
The story
In 180 AD, the Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army to victory against Germanic tribes. However, his life is shattered when the Emperor Marcus Aurelius's son, Commodus, murders his father and seizes the throne. When Maximus refuses to acknowledge Commodus's rule, he is captured and sold into slavery. Now a gladiator in the arena, Maximus must fight for his life and navigate the deadly politics of Rome. He rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial games, gaining fame and the opportunity to confront the emperor who destroyed his life, all while seeking to avenge his murdered family and the fallen emperor.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, his son Commodus seizes the throne and murders the man who was meant to succeed him: the general Maximus Decimus Meridius. Maximus is captured, his family is murdered, and he is sold into slavery as a gladiator. He rises to fame in the arena, earning the nickname 'the Spaniard' and befriending fellow gladiators Juba and Hagen. In Rome, Commodus organizes 150 days of games to win public favor. Maximus debuts in the Colosseum, where he refuses to kill a rival and declares his intent to seek vengeance on Commodus. He forms a secret alliance with Lucilla, the emperor's sister, and Senator Gracchus to overthrow the tyrant. After a failed escape attempt where his allies are captured, Maximus is forced into a final duel against Commodus. He defeats the emperor in the arena and, before dying from his wounds, secures a final victory for the Republic. He dies envisioning a reunion with his family in the afterlife.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 155
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- David Franzoni · story; David Franzoni · screenplay; John Logan · screenplay; William Nicholson · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Russell Crowe · Maximus Decimus Meridius; Joaquin Phoenix · Commodus; Connie Nielsen · Lucilla; Oliver Reed · Antonius Proximo; Derek Jacobi · Senator Gracchus; Djimon Hounsou · Juba; Richard Harris · Marcus Aurelius
- Genres
- action; adventure; drama
- Themes
- Revenge; Loyalty; Duty; Sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- Epic; Dramatic; Intense
- Premise and plot tags
- Historical Fiction; Gladiator Combat; Political Intrigue
- Source material / true-story basis
- The 1958 novel Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix.
- Reception
- The film was well-received by critics and audiences alike, earning several Academy Awards and becoming a significant commercial success.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 67 · scale: 100 · review count: 46
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Picture · Win; Academy Award · Best Actor · Win; BAFTA Award · Best Film · Win; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture – Drama · Win
- Production trivia
- The screenplay was inspired by the 1958 novel 'Those About to Die'.; The film was inspired by the 1872 painting 'Pollice Verso' by Jean-Léon Gérôme.; The character of Maximus is fictional, though he shares similarities with historical figures like Spartacus.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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