Gladiator Essay

So I got into college thanks to my 500 word essay on my favourite movie. This is it:-

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Gladiator:
 My favourite movie is by far ‘Gladiator’ by David Franzoni and directed by Ridley Scott in 2000, staring Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius.

Maximus is a devoted Roman General who is deceived by Commodus, the megalomaniac son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Commodus murders his father to become Emperor, knowing that his father wished to make Rome into a republic once again. Commodus becomes upset and smothers his father. Commodus orders Maximus’ family to be murdered and Maximus to be executed because his father thought of him more of a son. Maximus escapes. He rushes across country but he is too late, his wife and child have been killed. He buries them but is attacked by slavers and taken to North Africa. Maximus rises though the ranks as a gladiator, determined to have his revenge, until he enters the biggest and best arena of all, the Colosseum – the only amphitheatre that he will be able to face Commodus. He gives his all and fights tough opponents, so impressive that the Emperor wishes to meet the “The Spaniard” as he is known. When he comes face-to-face with Commodus, Maximus says to him “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next” Commodus is desperate for Maximus to be killed and tries to set him up. But he is too smart and strong. Commodus, a wannabe warrior who is intensely envious of Maximus for gaining the love for his father he never had, goes too far and in the end challenges Maximus to a one-on-one duel. Just as they enter the Coliseum Commodus stabs Maximus, fatally wounding him. After a tense battle, Maxmius defeats Commodus and dies in peace, joining his wife and son in the afterlife. The movie can be pretty much summed up by the Emperor Commodus, who when confronted by Maximus he said: “the general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an Emperor” The interesting thing is the real Commodus was killed by a real gladiator, but not in the arena. He was drowned in the private quarters of his palace in his bath. But he was also well known to fight like a gladiator. Of course, when Commodus faced opponents for real in the Colosseum they all allowed him to win. In the movie I think it correctly shows that although he is physically fit he is not a warrior like Maximus is. The movie has stunning special effects and an immensely emotional soundtrack that adds to the sensation of the storyline. The first time I watched it I had shivers up my spine. Ancient Rome is a very interesting topic to me and this added to that. It’s a movie I can watch over and over without becoming bored. And for that reason, this is my favourite film of all time and I would recommend it to anyone.

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Please be gentle!