Ridley Scott's Gladiator famously kills off Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the end, but the original plan for the ending was very different. In reality the armor was chosen to fit a gladiators type and fighting style. Crowe portrays Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Gladiator Quintisu's Betrayal. Just like in the movie these fights would be rigged. However, Marcus Aurelius was able to rise up to the challenge during the Marcomannic Wars. The original screenplay, however, did not see theGladiatormovie finish with a death scene, but rather allowed Maximus to live on, having completed his quest for revenge. While Crowe's Maximus character met his end in the classic original film, Gladiator 2 will follow the continuing story of Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), The youth was the nephew of Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the weaselly son of Roman leader Marcus Aurelius who murdered his father seized the throne and . The way in which Reed made his exit sounds like an urban legend of the most ridiculous type, but his final hours are quite well-documented. In addition, both Maximus and Marcus were admired and well-liked by the emperor. The film might have been the start of a late-career comeback for the 61-year old; instead, it became his final completed work. He squeezes the bellows of dissent a little wind a mere puff but within it the presage of pandemonium. Now when Maximus asked Cicero where the army was he said in Bosnia. From extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and wildfires to the melting of polar ice caps and rising sea levels, it's clear that our planet is in trouble. Although hes very well written, Maximus is more of a plot device to allow the audience to experience the greatest aspects of Roman life. The only desire that fuels him now is the chance to rise to the top so that he will be able to look into the eyes of the man who will feel his revenge. The 5 Worst Roman Emperors Caligula: 37 - 41 AD. According to Variety, the actor had promised Scott that he wouldn't drink on filming days while shooting on location in Malta, and he kept that promise, only imbibing on weekends during breaks from shooting. To the shock and awe of many fans of the film, Australian musician and author, Nick Cave, produced an infamousGladiator 2 script, but it was emphatically if graciously rejected by his good friend, Russell Crowe. Was it that Lucilla told Commodus of the plans hoping to save her Son's life or was is Cicero who appologies to Maximus with his last words. He was played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator. Then he could have formulated his plan. The games themselves are completely chaotic where gladiators are thrown into the arena and the fight simply becomes a free for all. After murdering Markus Aurelius, Commodus prepares a series of highly expensive games in his fathers honor. Maximus escaped, but was later enslaved and became a very famous gladiator. By now they were highly organized and equally ferocious. As much as she wouldn't want to betray Maximus, a mother will do ANYTHING to save the life of their child, and so Lucilla did just that. My arguments come from trying to understand the characters in the movie and what was done to build those characters. Maximus removed his helmet and revealed his true identity. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. A good comparison of how a gladiator was picked and cared for is the same way racehorses are treated today. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to ourFacebookpage or message us onTwitter. I agree with Peter that Cicero is expressing what he feels about allowing himself to be caught. To reach "Maxs'" Farm. Although this is an important scene and provides the necessary catalyst for the rest of the movie, in reality there was never any question as to whether Commodus would be emperor. By clicking Continue, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. Another influence is Avidius Cassius,a Roman general who gained prominence under Marcus Aurelius and at one point, declared himself emperor after receiving reports - albeit false - of Aurelius' death. Related:Gladiator: Why Maximus Was Called The Spaniard. His wife and son were both murdered by Commodus and burnt the whole village. Share. The powerful general is unable to save his family, and his loss of will allows him to get captured and put into the Gladiator games until he dies. Maximus and his subordinate Quintus defeated the Bararians in a battle. Historical Influences Explained, Gladiator: Why Maximus Has A Wolf In Battle (& What Happened To It? The time soon comes when Proximo's troupe is called to Rome to participate in a marathon of gladiator games held at the behest of the new emperor, Commodus. All of your arguments come from that one scene which clears up nothing for me. At this stage, the script focuses on a band of early Christians dodging the Roman authorities, just as they did in the recent Mary Magdalene biopic which co-starred Phoenix. The scene was shot in shadow, with bars in between the stand-in and the camera, making the splice tougher to spot and amazingly, this scene still holds up quite well today. He was played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film Gladiator . Additionally, watering daily with s, This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our. Killing off Maximus at the end ofGladiator was undoubtedly the right choice, but despite the inherent complications, there are still talks of a potential sequel. If a gladiator lost and was sentenced to die, it was up to him to show the crowd how to die like a Roman. That we have to keep feeding them for them to stay alive? I think the threat that Lucilla perceived was immediate. Or "Proximo'? All he wants is to be with his family again, and death grants him that satisfaction. I cannot watch them . For this scene, another stand-in was shot from behind for one portion, while alternate footage of Reed from an earlier scene (in which he tells Maximus, "We mortals are but shadows and dust") was digitally edited and inserted into the frame for another. Djimon Hounsou played Juba, Maximuss fellow gladiator who teamed up with him in the Colosseum he would have been back for Gladiator 2 (Credit: Alamy), He is an agitator, say Jupiter of Hephaestus. Commodus stood in shock, after believing Maximus was dead, and let the Gladiators live after the crowd began to cheer Maximus' name. Maximus's friends and allies honor him as "a soldier of Rome", at Lucilla's behest, and carry his body out of the arena, leaving the dead Commodus behind. It just makes no sense to me why someone would risk so much and "sell out" so close to "cashing in". With a couple of her friends, Sophia started The Guerrilla Review, writing reviews on books she read and editing articles. But it fictionalizes history to make it look theatrical and sentimentally evocative. Synopsis. Lucilla met up with Maximus in secret, trying to get the gladiator to meet with Senator Gracchus in attempt to overthrow Commodus. Unable to meet his fathers expectations, it comes as no surprise when he feels bitterness towards Maximus. Also, think of how many times we say "sorry" to people. DISCUSSIONS. He recognizes the love that Markus Aurelius despite never having received any of it himself. He was a Roman General who led his legions to many victories. He should have bowed to "Commodus" . He would be outfitted with the best weapons and armor that money could buy and the man he faced would be handicapped and armed with a dull blade. Was Gladiator's Maximus A Real Person? This forum is a gathering place for Gladiator fans as well as all movie fans to discuss anything related to this movie! Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. No sooner has Maximus tracked down Hephaestus than he is zapped out of the stygian gloom and into the world of flesh and blood, a decade or two after his death. Biography If Shakespeare can manipulate history to give us timeless tales of love, betrayal, and revenge, it seems unfair to be harsh on Ridley Scott for tweaking history for purposes of gripping storytelling. The great games he hosted served no purpose other than to serve his own indulgence. 'Gladiator' is partially based on a true story. I may be mistaken, but didn't "Max" tell "commodus" that all he wanted to do was go home? Gradesfixer , Summary And Analysis Of The Movie Gladiator., Summary And Analysis Of The Movie Gladiator [Internet]. As shown in Maximus' first fight as a gladiator, some battles in the arena served as re-enactments of popular battles where the Roman army emerged victorious. Thanks for your opinion. He had a farm where his son and wife lived. Before his death, the Emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir . It has always bothered me why Maximus's 2nd in command betrayed him and became the Emperors Captain of the Preatorian guard. Maximus (Russell Crowe), finally, superb character and anti hero. while playing with his uncle,and then he tells the whole story What terrible burden for a child to carry once he realizes what he's done___________________ "Do you think thats the way it is with our dreams and our nightmares? Well, no. "I have never seen any of the betrayal scenes of "Max". Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. Gladiator's perfect ending also killed any potential for a completely unnecessary sequel. While they were initially put on by senatorial families in the Republic as part of a funeral, Roman [], "Insufficient facts always invite danger" declared Spock to Captain Kirk as the U.S.S. It cant be stated enough how seriously Romans took these games and the amount of preparation that went into their execution. In the second scene, Proximo allows himself to be set upon and killed by the Praetorian Guard while Maximus escapes. These scenes bother me more than "Max's " death scene. Gladiator won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and a Best Actor statue for Crowe, and Reed was posthumously nominated for a BAFTA award for his role as Proximo.
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