One of the many awesome quotes from Ridley Scott's 2000 best-picture-winning epic film Gladiator.
And what an epic it is. Gladiator virtually re-defines the genre, with amazing sets, costumes, cinematography, drama, performances, score etc.
I think that Scott is a fantastic director. Blade Runner is one of my personal favorites, as is Gladiator.
I think that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the best film of 2000, but I believe that Gladiator completely deserved it's win - I understand why the Academy choose it. 2000 was a good year for movies in my opinion, giving us greats such as Memento, Almost Famous, Cast Away; and of course Crouching Tiger and Gladiator.
Russel Crowe's performance in this film is fantastic. His portrayal of Maximus is both dramatic and bad-ass; he completely owns the film. The lighting and sets really draw you in to the atmosphere, which is dark, gritty and realistic. The music also really adds a great punch to the film, at times subtle, at other times exciting. Also the main theme of the film, "Now We Are Free" is truly amazing and really adds emotion to the finale of the movie. Another thing I love about this master-piece is how complex the plot really is. The characters have lots of depth, which results in the climax being much more visceral and poignant. Also the story itself is just so well constructed and every frame is well done and progresses the movie.
In the end, Gladiator is a very exciting, entertaining movie that combines great characters, an involving and epic story, amazing special effects and production design, and lots of action, drama, and emotion. It's a masterpiece and a must watch. An experience that you will never forget.
Score: 100%
