Gladiator

Storyline

Ridley Scott's colossal historical epic Gladiator revived the long-dormant sword-and-sandal genre with monumental visceral power, grand philosophical gravitas, and operatic emotional resonance. Russell Crowe delivers a career-defining, Oscar-winning performance as General Maximus Decimus Meridius, the brilliant, fiercely loyal commander of the Roman Northern Armies who leads Rome to victory against Germanic tribes in 180 AD. The dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) intends to appoint Maximus as protector of Rome to restore the Republic, inciting the murderous jealousy of his corrupt, narcissistic son Commodus (a chilling, Oscar-nominated turn by Joaquin Phoenix). After Commodus murders his father, usurps the throne, and executes Maximus's beloved wife and child, Maximus is sold into slavery and trained as a gladiator in North Africa under the battle-hardened Proximo (Oliver Reed). Rising through the ranks of the Colosseum with unmatched combat prowess and stoic fury, Maximus captivates the Roman plebeians and confronts the Emperor directly in an iconic quest for retribution and justice. Winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture and powered by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard's haunting, ethereal musical score, Gladiator remains an undisputed titan of 21st-century cinema.