May 6, 2000 -- "Gladiator" is a film that harkens back to Hollywood's golden years, "a cast of thousands, a cost of millions" they used to say, but it is more than that. It is a grand spectacle of a movie wrapped around intimate human drama.

Russell Crowe ("L.A. Confidential" and "The Insider") gives a fine performance as Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by his emperor and ordered to die, along with his wife and child. But Maximus survives to become a slave and gladiator.

Meanwhile the evil emperor, Commodus (marvelously played by Joaquin Phoenix of "8 millimeter), plots to overthrow the Senate while lusting after his own sister, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen of "Mission to Mars"). Commodus is a Shakespearian-like villain of great depth. He is insecure because he feels he is unloved, and unloved because of his insecurities. He is cunning, yet unwise and weak, despite all his ambition and power. He is a paranoid with real enemies. He seeks to control the masses of Rome through the games of the Coliseum.

Maximus, a noble general, is reduced to despair after the loss of his family, but the games of the Coliseum give him a renewed purpose and a deadly outlet for the rage inside of him. By being a champion of the games, he can control the mob that rules Rome. This sets him on the road to a deadly confrontation with Commodus. In the end, how much of his noble nature will remain? Lucilla, meanwhile, has to walk a tightrope to stay alive as her all-powerful brother becomes increasingly dangerous as he sinks into madness. The story and dialogue are solid, written by David H. Franzoni "Amistad"), John Logan ("Any Given Sunday") and William Nicholson ("Nell").

Surrounding this inner personal story is a series of brutal, bloody battles, in war and in the deadly gladiatorial games involving both men and beasts. Some of these battles are well-staged, with the gladiators dodging not only spears and swords, but the teeth and claws of tigers as well. One battle has a band of gladiators, portraying Hannibal and his troops, being attacked by a group of chariots with archers.

The initial battle with German tribes is shot very darkly and it is not as effective as the games, which are shot in bright sunlight. The games are well-staged, but are not quite as effective as similar kinds of battle scenes in other movies of recent vintage, such as "Braveheart" "Last of the Mohicans" and "Rob Roy." They are, however, are second to none in terms of blood, dismemberment and beheadings. I became numbed to the brutality and repetitive nature of the games after a while. The music, by Klaus Badelt, Lisa Gerrard, and Hans Zimmer, is excellent, setting the stage deftly for both the drama and the action. The costume design by Janty Yates and the art direction crew also did a fine job on this movie. It rates a B+.

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