Review by Leigh Collins

It has been decades since Hollywood had the audacity to recreate ancient Rome and tell us stories of glorious battles and noble warriors.

Those grand old epics such as Spartacus and Ben-Hur are almost beyond criticism ,, their tales of heroic deeds are the stuff of legends, and as such, quibbles over unlikely plots or over-the-top speeches somehow seem inappropriate.

Gladiator is an epic in this grand tradition of old Hollywood ,, a true spectacle with thousands of extras and sets the size of small countries.

Loosely based on the true story of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus, Gladiator centres on a brave and loyal general named Maximus, a man who leads from the front and dutifully kills for the glory of Rome.

Marcus Aurelius wishes Maximus to be his successor, but the young and arrogant Commodus has other ideas, and Maximus soon becomes enslaved and condemned to life as a gladiator in the arena. It sounds like a thin and unlikely plot, but the film is imbued with a rare richness ,, for the following reasons.

First of all, it looks amazing. The special effects teams have convincingly recreated ancient Rome, and added a breathtaking, gruesome reality to the gory fighting sequences.

Secondly, the acting is magnificent. Despite a strange English accent, Russell Crowe's Maximus has an awe-inspiring, heroic aura. He has an on-screen presence that deserves comparisons to all-time greats such as Brando and De Niro.

Meanwhile, Richard Harris' grand portrayal of the wise emperor Marcus Aurelius and the late Oliver Reed's ruthless yet compassionate slavemaster Proximo are among their best roles to date, while Joaquin Phoenix excels as the wonderfully unpredictable Commodus.

And finally credit must go to director Ridley Scott who has given his fine actors room to show what they can do, while creating some of the most terrifyingly chaotic fighting scenes ever shown on the silver screen.

This will be the biggest and most memorable film of the year.

collins@london.newsquest.co.uk