Film Critique on The Movie Gladiator - Essay Example

? The Final Film Critique: Gladiator Introduction On the onset of a new millennium, the euphoria of embracing a new century was at its peak. The survivors at the auspicious moment did witness a remarkable moment, and the year was followed by events that were celebrated keeping in mind the fateful event of embracing the millennium. On the arena of art and culture, Hollywood was instrumental in producing a good amount of block-busters and chart-toppers that year with big budgets enabling a big space in the minds and hearts of the audience. That very year, in the month of May, the United States was ready to witness a big transition on the realm of silver screen with the release of the epic historical drama directed by very talented Ridley Scott entitled Gladiator. The film Gladiator was a hit at the box office fetching largely positive reviews. However, Elvis Mitchell from The New York Times did see the movie in a negative light and commented eloquently about the film as “grandiose and silly” (Mitchell, 2000). Nevertheless, the audiences and the fraternity completely disagreed with the cynical critic, and the picture won five Academy Awards at the 73rd Academy Awards including the Best Actor award for Russell Crowe in the leading role and Best Picture award, which was definitely a note of acceptance and accrediting for the entire crew and cast. Apart from captivating an adventurous life of a historical hero, for which the American audience have always shown a special fascination, the film had stolen the show for its “appealing plot, with distinctive characters, inspired acting, breathtaking cinematography, and a haunting musical score,” as Emily Albu very rightly commented in her epoch making essay “Gladiator at the Millennium” (Albu, 2008, p. 185). Thesis Statement Gladiator is a film that displays a balanced mix of cinematic excellence inherent through its exuberant display of chronicle turned to drama, indelible technical facets, and unparallel aesthetic inputs. The essay shall focus on the comprehensive features of the film Gladiator, which resulted into turning the big budget drama into one of the greatest hits of Hollywood. The essay intends to discuss at length the thematic aspect of the film and the kinds of influence the film has set on the society as well as why they have been quintessential in framing the mind-set of the audiences towards the film. The Final Critique: Gladiator Story Line Plot structure, narrative framework or the screenplay of a film, by whatever name it is called, mostly forms the basic ingredients enabling the success of a film. The narrative framework of a film therefore cannot be undermined at all. The film Gladiator is the brain child of David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson. The film Gladiator is conceived keeping in mind the 180 AD Rome; the film tries to admit historical personages. The presence of the historical figure such as Marcus Aurelius, who was an emperor-philosopher, and his son Commodus indicates much of the sources drawn from the history. However, it is evident that when the plot of the film Gladiator is judged on a comprehensive scale, it is inferred very easily that the film is a loose adaptation of the history and cannot be treated as a direct conversion of chronicle into drama. The plot of the film is tremendously fictional. Moreover, as the history of Rome or, on the contrary, any ancient history bases upon the quest for power and throne, the elements of politics, romance, drama, emotion, and action become quite inherent in the stories developed keeping the ancient empires and their stories in the backdrop. The story of the Gladiator revolves around the protagonist of the story, Maximus Decimus Berilius, played by Russell Crowe. Maximus is one of the finest generals of the emperor and is the deserving candidate for the throne. Nevertheless, before the official succession, Commodus played by Joaquin Phoenix brutally murders his father and takes the position of his father and complete control over his throne ordering the execution of Maximus, which fails definitely. The film next follows a plot where the tyranny and oppression inflicted upon the slaves and the farmers and the poor of the nation are being displayed; they are executed by a mad, cowardly, and undeserving king. In this section of the plot, in order to agitate the emotional reactions of the audiences to Maximus, the brutal murder of his wife and his son and all his misfortunes have been displayed, which were eventually followed by the resurrection and the completion of Maximus’ revenge in the Roman arena as a gladiator, following his pathetic and heroic death, which leaves a lasting impression in the minds of the audiences (Oxford Journals, 2000). Conflict results in the progress of the plot. Definitely, all the characters in the film are projected undergoing an external and internal conflict. Commodus undergoes a conflict of his conscience which culminated from all the evil activities he undertook to maintain his power and glory. Maximus is also torn asunder between the deeds he undertakes to take the revenge and his actual ideals in life, which put him back in taking those plunges. The conflicts of the characters are actually with their own self and their conscience, which do not permit them to take certain plunges which they undertake. There are definite symbolic patterns which are epmloyed throughout the plot of the film. The pursuit of liberty and establishment of a republic is the potent theme inherent within the film when focused on political discourse. Therefore, the events like Maximus’ fall from being an honored general to a slave, his revival and his revenge, the sword, vengeance, images of slavery, family drama, and violence were used to create a story that will have an ersatz political morality which shall be manifested by the apolitical hero of the film (Tudor, 2002). The film can be called ironic in many aspects; especially, the use of situational and dramatic irony is very much potent in the play, and as a social and political satire, the storyline displays a conflict for power and visions which should actually be followed by America in terms of either the adherence of the power under Roman style or the analogy that the United States has followed so long. However, the satire lies in the fact that the power quest or any mode of forcible system or institution parasitising on people only culminates into misery of people. Universal truths like the victory of good over evil or the eventual end of the corrupt and wicked loom large in the plot of the film Gladiator. Acting The film Gladiator is a Hollywood entertainment which showed grand settings and grand masculine physique, bare bodies and great chivalry. All these centered upon a single actor Russell Crowe, who played the role of the General Maximus and stole the show. Definitely, there is a volley of serious and talented actors surrounding Crowe, but there is no space left but to admit the fact that under the halo of Russell Crowe in the film, all the actors appeared to be supportive only. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Ralf Moller and Richard Harris along with Russell Crowe as the Gladiator. A good mark of method acting showed by the actors, who managed to delve deep into the characters and the professions of the characters, is remarkably portrayed in the film. It is quite noteworthy to mention at this juncture of the essay that the film Gladiator is a periodic film, and it demanded a lot of research work and method acting to transport the modern day actors into the realm of the Roman Empire, and the personality, lifestyle and professional etiquettes were required to be incorporated into the body language of the actors. None of the casting crew in the film did behave like stars. On the contrary, they were all able to shade their stardom and evolve into a realm of interpreting and impersonator actors who played their role without allowing any mark of their personality or star attributes influencing the role in the film. All the actors including Russell Crowe happen to be the director’s actors for this particular film, and most of the credit for creating the hue of ancient Roman ambience is attributed to Ridley Scott, the talented director of the film. The actors are presented in a way director wanted to meet the requirement of the story and the time frame captured within it. The body language of the actors helped a lot in comprehending the role and allegory operating behind each character. For example, Russell Crowe displays different body language while being a general. He behaves differently while he is a slave or a father and at last resurrected as a gladiator pursuing to avenge the wrongdoers. The different customs, styles, and conventions associated with different professions and roles at that period of time were displayed explicitly in the film, which made the audience set on a journey in a time-machine (Samudrala, n.d.). Cinematography The film Gladiator was praised in the pantheon of modern cinema across the world for its marvelous cinematography executed by John Mathieson. A close reading of a mise-en-scene from the film infers certain tactics and indicates a consistent quality and parameters which were maintained to make the film appear more believable. The severity of the film builds the tension of the audience perfectly and enables the audience to impart a full length insight into the sincerity of Maximus and magnanimity of the Roman Empire. To achieve this motif, Scott and Mathieson used the devices of lightning, a proper paced editing, selected colors, and detailed and well-researched costumes throughout the film. The clever use of lightning builds some unforgettable panorama in the film. For example, when Maximus is praying at a shrine, which was constructed by him for the security of his wife and child after his victory at the battle in Germania, the use of candle light and the combination of other lights give a make-belief ambience to the scene and also turn the shrine and the room where Maximus is praying into almost a church. The dark room, which is symbolic of his family’s death, emotionally connects the audience with the grief of Maximus and thus establishes the motif of the director (New Zealand Qualifications Authority, n.d.). The use of close shots is so explicit throughout the film that the close shot of Crowe in the wheat field reveals many facets of his personal life and emotional characteristics. As regards the long shots in the film, they are used at length with the sync of special effects, especially when Commodus or his father address the soldiers and their subjects in the gathering at the specially erected Coliseum. The use of steadicam can also be traced equally, particularly during the battle scenes. To establish the grandeur and depth of the Roman Empire, special effects, e.g. CGI stylized visual effects, are implemented in the film Gladiator. The long shots accompanied with computer graphics and digital effects build up a huge panorama, a vision that is beyond the mundane imagination (Pirfo, 2013). The use of elaborate and vivid colors, especially the use of single color, tints in the dream sequence, and black and white mode during the flashback sequences, makes the frame and the film appear like a fairy tale with a brave and charming prince. Editing The film Gladiator is full of visual effects. The editing of the film enables it to fall into a certain kind of flow, and its use of dissolving, fading and wiping along with the ample use of slow motion in the dream sequence of Maximus enables the audience to connect to the personal and emotional sphere of the warrior. The sequences where the gladiatorial competition is held in the Colosseum to quench the blood-thirsty soul of Emperor Commodus and the mad crowd with tigers and horses along with elephants are a spectacle to see. Nevertheless, these shots were taken into fragmented cuts and arranged with the help of sharp edit, which made them appear like a sequence. The credit for this kind of aesthetic and technical mix with eloquent expressions captured and mostly remaining uncut goes to the editor of the film, Pietro Scalia (Filmsite, 2013). Sound Beyond the mundane coinage of the ‘sword-and-sandal’ costume epic of America, lie certain technical features of the film which push the film Gladiator with huge leaps and bounds. The music in the film is composed and designed by a group of very talented artists and composers including Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerrard, and Klaus Badelt. The challenge of the creative team of the film was to impart an appeal that would closely resemble the era. The music of the film was also composed and designed keeping in mind the periodic essence of the film. Hans Zimmer derived a symphony, melody with a punch of orchestration from Gustav Holt. There is a pertinent six-note pattern inherent in the film that identifies Maximus’ presence. The battle scenes on the contrary are presented with repeated tones of the fifth note pattern. The velvet tone of Lisa Gerrard adds an extra mileage to the music of the film. The different use of music orchestration and intonations produces diverse mood in the film, which makes the use of music quite effective (MacDonald, 2013). Style and Directing With regard to the directorial style inherent in the film, Gladiator is an excellent mix of technology, aesthetic sense and in-depth thematic aspect, not easy to balance within a single frame. Director Ridley Scott accomplished this entire task very systematically and effortlessly by contemplating and then scouting various remains of the Roman Empire to imbibe more accuracy in the film. Gladiator was the first periodic film in the truest sense of the term from the directorial archive of Scott. Therefore, the film being his first attempt on a historical factor or period drama, Scott could surpass many limitations and was able to project the balanced mix of technicality and chronicled element, successfully turning the picture into a thriller filled adventurous fiction. Societal Impact Gladiator as a film had brought a great societal effect particularly in the United States. If one closely follows the release date of the film, one can find that it was on 5th of May, 2000, which was just before six months of the presidential elections in America. During these quarters of the year, the political atmosphere of America became very contentious and inclined towards a polarized electorate. The release of Gladiator in theatres across the United States acted as a mobilization for the pursuit of liberty and establishment of republic. The inherent themes of equality, propaganda against slavery, and the control of a state by a deserving man are the key themes which flow through the film Gladiator. And identification and relation of the audience with these themes make it correlate with the society and socio-political sentiments of general mass. Genre In relation to the genre of the film Gladiator, it can be inferred easily that the film belongs somewhere between the genres like western and fantasy. Though the base of the film is set upon the historical facts, it can be easily asserted that the film is not a sincere documentation of the history. On the contrary, there is a strong line of fictional elements running throughout the film, which actually deviated from the historical facts. Film Criticism and Analysis The analysis of the film Gladiator is very easy to be done. The allegorical text lying comfortably within the main plot of the film gives adequate hint for its comprehension. At the outset, the film presents the story of a brave, deserving, and misfortunate general Maximus and his predicament for vengeance against the wrong-doers, who inflicted the regime of tyranny and oppression upon the poor and the feeble people. However, the pursuit for Republic, the quest for the throne from a deserving man, and the tactics breaking free from any kind of slavery mark the implicit content of the film. The film Gladiator displays a contextual approach of analysis. Nonetheless, the film is remarkable in its aesthetic appeal, thematic representation, and technical implementation, which negate any kind of particular approach of film criticism towards it. Conclusion The film Gladiator is not a mere work of fiction. Its exuberant representation of socio-political issues which were inherent and universal in that period in ancient Rome makes the film almost a socio-political document. The use of visual effects along with a proper sync of the music in the background makes the film more appealing. There is no doubt in asserting that the film Gladiator is a mark of a genius, which allured the minds of the millions across the globe at an hour when the world was embracing a new era. References Albu, E. (2008). Gladiator at the Millennium. Arethusa, 41 (1), 185-204. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/arethusa/v041/41.1albu.html Filmsite. (2013). Gladiator (2000). Retrieved from http://www.filmsite.org/bestfilmediting10.html MacDonald, L. E. (2013). The Invisible Art of Film Music: A Comprehensive History. United Kingdom: Scarecrow Press. Mitchell, E. (2000). That Cruel Colosseum. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/gladiator-re.html New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (n.d.). Qualifications-and-standards. Retrieved from http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/qualifications-and-standards/qualifications/ncea/NCEA-subject-resources/English/91480-A/91480-EXP-A-student2-001.pdf Oxford Journals. (2000). Gladiator. Produced by David H. Franzoni and Branko Lustig; directed by Ridley Scott; written by David H. Franzoni. 2000; color; 154 minutes. Distributor: Dreamworks and Universal Pictures. The American Historical Review, 105 (4), 1437-1438. Retrieved from http://ahr.oxfordjournals.org/content/105/4/1437.extract Pirfo, R. (2013). Gladiator. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/pirforo/gladiator-3218809 Samudrala, R. (n.d.). Gladiator. Retrieved from http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies/gladiator.html Tudor, D. (2002). Nation, Family and Violence in Gladiator. Jump Cut: A Review of Contemporary Media, 45. Retrieved from http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc45.2002/tudor/Gladiatortext.html Read More