Film Gladiator Review

The film Gladiator takes place in the Roman Empire during the time of the Caesar Marcus Aurelius. The head general, Maximus Decimus Meridius is in charge of the military and the right hand of the Caesar. Marcus calls for his son and daughter, Commodus and Lucilla to come meet him. He speaks to Maximus and tells him that he wants to name him his heir, the next Roman Emperor. Maximus is mortified because he only wants to return to his family in Spain. Marcus wants Maximus to lead the senate into a Republic again and believes that he is fit to do it because he is uncorrupted by Rome's politics. The idea is short-lived when Marcus tells Commodus that he will not be emperor and in a fit of jealousy he kills his father. Commodus, the new emperor, orders Maximus' execution. He is able to escape without the emperor finding out and he returned home while injured and dying to find his family crucified and burned. Maximus is captured by slave traders and bought by a gladiator master named Proximo. He fights for his life and becomes a legend there. The new Caesar calls for the Gladiator games to begin again in order to commemorate his father's death and soon all of the gladiators are on their way to Rome. The first gladiatorial battle was a re-enactment of the Battle of Carthage in the Colosseum where Proximus' gladiators had a great victory led by the anonymous Maximus. Commodus, followed by Lucius (Lucilla's son), enters the arena to meet the winners and is stunned to see that the leader of the gladiators is Maximus. Maximus who is hungry for Commodus' death cannot kill him then because Lucius is in the way. The emperor also cannot have him killed because the people of Rome favor Maximus. The games continue and Commodus arranges for Maximus to face Rome's only undefeated gladiator alone. In the arena there are also chained tigers instructed to target Maximus. Barely escaping his death Maximus defeats Tigris and waits for the decision to kill. Commodus says death, but Maximus spares Tigris, insulting the emperor but amusing the people. He gets the name "Maximus the Merciful" which just angers Commodus more. Lucilla, after seeing that Maximus is still alive, meets with him and arranges a plan to overthrow Commodus with the help of Senator Gracchus. Maximus agrees after he finds his faithful servant Cicero who tells him his men still follow him. Commodus suspects Lucilla's scheming and threatens Lucius' life. She confesses everything. Maximus goes on with the plan unknowingly and is captured. Commodus plans Maximus' death in the arena where he himself will kill him in front of the people. Knowing that he cannot win he stabs Maximus in the back before the match. Eventually Maximus murders the emperor whose men become traitors refusing to give him a sword. Maximus orders Proximo's gladiators free and that Gracchus be reinstated; Rome must become a Republic again as Marcus wanted. He collapses