Gladiator is a 2000 British and American epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays General Maximus Decimus Meridius, favorite of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius who is betrayed and murdered by his unhinged son, Commodus (Phoenix). After refusing to take Commodous's hand in loyalty as the new Caesar, Commodus orders his exec...
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Gladiator is a 2000 British and American epic film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, and Richard Harris. Crowe portrays General Maximus Decimus Meridius, favorite of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius who is betrayed and murdered by his unhinged son, Commodus (Phoenix). After refusing to take Commodous's hand in loyalty as the new Caesar, Commodus orders his execution. Maximus escapes his execution squad and rushes home to his family, only to arrive too late - they are dead. Collapsing in exhaustion, he's captured and enslaved along the outer fringes of the Roman empire, then rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murder of his family and his Emperor.
Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, it was a box office success, receiving generally good reviews, and was credited with briefly reviving the historical epic. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards including...
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