

Russell Crowe puts in a stoic performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius – father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and so on – the military general forced into gladiatorial combat, who rules the ring and plots revenge against Joaquin Phoenix's effete, patricidal Commodus. Combining the two, the result is a film that feels tangible and tactile, still wowing with its battle scenes, amphitheatre showdowns, and evocation of the Roman Empire at its height. Kaminski (Introduction, Villain), The Old Man (Villain, Dies), Bob (Introduction), "Scrunch"/Mr.Are you not entertained? How could anyone fail to be swept along by Ridley Scott's Gladiator – a straight-up swords-and-sandals historical epic that snagged five Oscars and features blood-spattered beheadings? Scott made the film at a fascinating time – in the dying days of studio movies shooting on huge-scale practical sets, and at the dawn of CGI embellishments. Johnson (Introduction), Laurie Petrovic (Introduction), Teresa Roberts, Barbara Petrovic, The "Old Man" (Introduction), Deanie (Introduction, Villain), Mrs. Zayre (Introduction), Star Brand (Ken Connell), The Old Man (Villain), Eric Chin, Alvin (Introduction), John Eberhardt, January (Introduction), Barbara Petrovic (Introduction), Myron Feldman, Rick (Introduction), Dennis, Rick Lawson (Introduction), Shary Lawson (Introduction), Mike (Introduction), Bobby Petrovic (Introduction), Rick, Emil Vajdak (Introduction), Mrs. Debbie "The Duck" (Introduction), Terrorists (Villains), Spitfire (Jenny Swensen), Debbie "The Duck" Fix, Spy (Introduction, Villain), Laurie Petrovick, John Eberhardt (Introduction), Joan (Introduction), Paul (Introduction), Ken Connell, Stan Connell (Introduction), Wendy (Introduction), Alien (Introduction, Villain), Eduardo Giotti, Wendy, Troubleshooters Tim Ferris, Libyan Spies (Villains), Mr.
