Gladiator

Having lead the Roman troops to victory in Germania, General Maximus (Russell Crowe) finds himself being favoured by the ageing Emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), that is until the Emperor's own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), betrays his father and sentences Maximus to death. But having escaped his impending doom, Maximus discovers that his wife as well as his son have been brutally murdered on the orders of Commodus. Desolate at the loss of his family, he finds himself in the slavery of Proximo (Oliver Reed) as a gladiator where he must learn to kill or be killed, especially when the gladiatorial spectacle returns to Rome for the pleasure of Commodus.

"I'm not watching some historical rubbish" were the words a friend said when I invited them to watch Ridley Scotts "Gladiator" when it first hit the big screen. "That was absolutely brilliant" or words to that effect were the words I heard after I forced them to watch it and to be honest it is pretty much the way I have felt about the film ever since I first watched it. It has just about everything you could ask for from a modern film brilliant performances, stunning action, powerful soundtrack and most importantly a compelling storyline which drags you in to the thick of the action and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of blood, sweat and tears.

Now I will be the first to admit that I am no history expert and so wouldn't have a clue whether "Gladiator" is in the slightest historically accurate and it doesn't matter as the film is not about the history but about one mans journey from being a Roman General, to slave and onto being a Gladiator where he seeks closure for the ill deeds which have befallen his family. To be honest the overall plotline of a man seeking justice is as unoriginal as they come, but it is the way the story is moulded which makes "Gladiator" stand head and shoulders above numerous other films. Right from the opening sequence, which is amazingly powerful, the film builds up the story of Maximus the popular Roman General, but not just in the sense of his authority with the army or his popularity with the Emperor but also in his love for his family. But it doesn't stop there and right up to the dramatic climax, the story keeps on building with layer upon layer of detail, painting a marvellous picture which engulfs you in the life of this man. That is not to say it is all just about Maximus as the film is full of detail on all the major characters, from Commodus, Proximo and Maximus's brothers in arms, his fellow gladiators. If I was going to levy any criticism against the plot is that it is not so much predictable but doesn't really throw any twists at you, but then I question whether filling "Gladiator" with plot twists would have spoilt it.

One of the most impressive aspects to "Gladiator" is the intensity of the action sequences, and as previously mentioned the opening sequence which features the Roman Army taking on a Horde from Germania really is amazingly powerful, and could easily be compared to scenes from the equally stunning "Braveheart". In some ways the action could be classed as being quite blood thirsty, and at times the visualisation of some of the fighting does leave you drop jawed, but then I wouldn't class it in the least bit gratuitous and fits in perfectly with the atmosphere of the film as well as the story. Whilst the action is stunning it is without doubt aided by some equally stunning CGI effects and at times you struggle to work out what is stunt men plying their trade and what is computer graphics. But the film is not just about the action and the balance between drama, action and CGI is perfect in my mind. It is these stunning action sequences combined with the compelling plot and brilliant performances, not forgetting the soundtrack which helps "Gladiator" stand out compared to many other similar films.

Well you cannot mention "Gladiator" without also mentioning Russell Crowe, men want to be him, women want to be with him, or so I'm told. To be honest I have never been a huge fan of Crowe as in one breathe he can put in a stunning performance and then the next he puts in an equally dire, egotistical one. Thankfully his performance in Gladiator is one of his best, full of strength, passion but also sympathy for his co-stars allowing them to share the limelight with him; although it is such a great performance that even though I cannot criticise any of the other actors Crowe really is the star of the film. Crowe along with all the other actors do something which really makes a film for me, they get so involved in their characters that I forget I'm watching actors perform but instead feel immersed into the storyline as well as the action. The film really is studded with a plethora of star names with veterans such as Oliver Reed, Richard Harris and Derek Jacobi, as well as newer names such as Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielson and Djimon Hounsou all of which put in stunning performances.

The final element for me which makes "Gladiator" such a great cinematic experience is the beautifully subtle sound track, which is mainly composed by Hans Zimmer. I say subtle as throughout the film you hear the orchestral music but it never comes across as being over powering, working more in tandem with all the other films elements to create atmosphere and tension. Despite the subtlety it is very memorable and away from the film, on hearing one piece, which appears to be the main re-occurring theme, your thoughts immediately return to the splendour which is "Gladiator".


Well as I have already said, I think that "Gladiator" is absolutely brilliant, it has a decent story, brilliant drama, powerful action sequences, stunning performances and a great soundtrack, a film which I feel deserves being called an epic. Even my only criticism of a plot which lacks and real twists or turns is a minor one and on the whole I struggle to find fault. For me the appeal lies in the stunning action sequences but for others it is the exceptional acting, or the compelling story but also it appeals to a wide range of people, young and old, male and female. At nearly 3 hours long it surprisingly whips along at a great pace and you really don't notice the time as you become immersed in what is going on.


Certificate: 15
Duration: 164 mins
Year of Release: 2004
Genre: Drama, Action, History
Director(s): Ridley Scott
Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Richard Harris, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, David Schofield, John Shrapnel, Tomas Arana, Ralf Moeller, Spencer Treat Clark

Rating: 8/10

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Footloose

When teenager Ren McCormick (Kevin Bacon) finds himself relocating to a small Midwestern town, his worse nightmare comes true, as the towns uptight leaders have banned his favourite pastime, dancing and anything else that the young people may enjoy doing. Determined to breathe life back into the small town, Ren, with the help of his new best friend Willard (Chris Penn) and the local minister's daughter Ariel (Lori Singer), start a revolt to allow all young people to enjoy what is rightfully theirs.

I honestly don't know why I like "Footloose" as much as I do as it is completely predictable, full of cheesy over the top scenes and compared to other films from the 80s seems pretty weak, but for some reason I do. The plot to "Footloose" is your typical teenagers rebelling against the adults who control their lives, which in this case is the over the top decision to ban the towns teenagers from enjoying loud music and dancing. It does seem a remarkably weak premise to build a film around but one which works remarkably well allowing the film to be studded with dancing sequences and typical teen angst. What is particularly nice is that the film cleverly builds into the story the reasoning behind the town's decision to ban teenage frivolity and although you still are drawn to champion the young rebels on, you hold a sort of sympathy towards the town's elders for making their decision.

One noticeable difference between "Footloose" and other films from the 80s teenage genre is the seemingly rawness of the whole production. Where many similar films would include a couple of scenes purely to raise a giggle from the audience, "Footloose" never seems to rely on these contrived sequences, the closest it ever gets to feeling contrived is when Ren teaches the terribly coordinated Willard to dance, which does make you laugh. But it is not just the lack of completely contrived scenes, but also the dialogue and acting, which again feels pretty raw which gives this a different feel to similar films.

Of course the key to success of any teenage movie is whether the viewer can associate themselves with the characters, and "Footloose" scores heavily is this area. I remember watching this in my teens and wanting to be Ren, because he was cool, he could dance, he attracted the girls and was a rebel, in fact even watching it now I still want to be Ren, but then I still want to live in the 80s. It's not just the character of Ren which drags you in and every single character has something about them that you can recognize in other people. But it's not only the characters which appeals to the audience but the situation of teenagers rebelling against parental rule which also attracts the target audience. In fact out of all the films I have watched which explore this scenario I have to say that the way "Footloose" develops it is one of the most enjoyable interpretations I have come across.

As already mentioned, for me one of the key factors as to why I enjoy "Footloose" so much is in its rawness and that is very evident in the performances of all the stars. Although not his first big screen performance, Kevin Bacon puts in a great performance as the lead Ren McCormick, and most of this is down to the fact that he was still a young, enthusiastic actor who had not fallen into a set style. At times you get a sense that he is terrified of being in front of the camera but this helps build an edgy character which fits that of the rebel perfectly. My only criticism comes down from his ability as a dancer, he maybe 1000 times better than me but it didn't feel completely natural although at times quite amusing. Also making an early appearance is a rather young and thin looking Chris Penn as Willard, who like Bacon appears to be a bit afraid of being in front of the camera. But then this is not really a criticism as he puts in a great performance as the teenager who is better with his fists than his feet. To be honest the film does have quite a remarkable list of stars, including Lori Singer, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest and Jim Youngs all of which put in pretty decent performances which all fit their characters perfectly. Out of all of them the one which stands out the most is Lithgow who is stunning as the town's controlling minister who goes on his own journey of understanding through out the film.

One of the key reasons why I still like "Footloose" as much now as I did back in the 80s is the brilliant soundtrack which is highly typical of the era. From the title track "Footloose" through songs such as Shalamars "Dancing in the Streets", Deniece Williams "Let's Hear it For The Boys", Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out For a Hero" and "Waiting for a girl like you" by Foreigner, every single track gets your foot tapping and sometimes singing along with.

As with all films from the 80s, "Footloose" does feel a little bit dated, most notably with some of the fashions and haircuts. But the underlying story and issues which the teenagers deal with are still as current now as they were then. To be honest the film probably holds more charm for those who enjoyed it back in the 80s, but the again it may attract a newer younger audience, especially for those who enjoy films such as "Dirty Dancing".


Despite some very major flaws I still really like "Footloose" and even though I don't rate it as highly as many other films from the 80s I still feel it has something to offer even today. Probably the biggest reason why I still like "Footloose" is the soundtrack which really does get your toe tapping, but there are other elements which all work together to make this film still enjoyable today. As with many films from the 80s I feel that it holds more appeal for those who saw it back then and doubt it would attract many new fans these days, but then I still feel it is a film everyone should watch at least once.

Certificate: 15
Duration: 107 mins
Year of Release: 1984
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Director(s): Herbert Ross
Cast: Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Chris Penn, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Laughlin, Elizabeth Gorcey, Frances Lee McCain, Jim Youngs

Rating: 6/10

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50 First Dates

Henry Roth (Adam Sandler) is a happy go lucky sort of guy; he has a good job as a vet on a Hawaiian island as well as dating many of the attractive holiday makers with the knowledge that once the holiday is over nothing will ever come of them. That is until he meets local girl Lucy (Drew Barrymore) and immediately falls head over heels in love with her. The only trouble is Lucy has a rare illness which when she wakes up each morning she cannot remember anything from the day before, not even meeting Henry. Desperate to win her over, Henry sets about romancing her everyday in the hope that one day she will remember him.

After the surprise success of "The Wedding Singer" which saw the pairing of Sandler and Barrymore hit the big screen, it came as no surprise to me when they paired up again for the 2004 romantic comedy "50 First Dates". Whilst this is definitely your typical Sandler comedy, with plenty of screaming from the seemingly petulant star and numerous parts for his buddies who seem to appear in all his films, as well as plenty of over the top humour, it manages to rise above the majority of them due to the likeability of Drew Barrymore. But despite Barrymore's stellar performance this is nothing more than your typical rom-com splattered with Sandler-esque style comedy, a decent soundtrack and of course the likeability of Barrymore.The basis of the film follows the tried and tested route that the majority of rom-coms follow where boy meets girl, they fall in love, things go wrong, etc etc etc. Whilst it is a shame that they didn't try to do something new with the plot, I honestly feel that it would have been wasted in a Sandler film where the focus of the film is more on the humour than anything else. But saying that, having the object of his affections, Lucy, suffer from short term memory loss makes for numerous humorous scenes and it is these scenes which make the film watch able. To be honest, you find yourself waiting for the next humorous moments rather than wondering where the film will lead as it is very predictable, but in being so is very easy to watch .

Whilst the humour in the film is very typical of all Sandler's films, with plenty of over the top moments, and the seemingly blatant disregard for offending anyone who may be handicapped as he takes the mickey out of them, I have to admit that it does feel a little toned down. Yes we still see Sandler do his usual shouting act which is meant to make us laugh, but he seems to have pulled back on the throttle in an attempt to make us like him. Does it work, to be honest no; he still comes across as more annoying than funny but it would have really spoilt the film if he hadn't toned his act down. Yes there are some truly funny moments which will make you smile, but in the same breath there are some truly over the top moments which fail to hit the mark.

Whilst the character of Henry Roth is nothing more than your stereotypical Sandler character, likeable, mildly funny but also annoying. It is the character of Lucy, or should I say the performance of Barrymore which saves this film from being just another Sandler comedy. There is something about Barrymore when she plays the vulnerable love interest that makes you fall in love with her, as is the case with her appearance in "50 First Dates". That is not to say her performance is faultless, far from it, but she is head and shoulders above Sandler or any of the other cast. What is quite surprising is that the pairing of Sandler and Barrymore actually works remarkably well, whilst there may not be a huge amount of romantic chemistry between them, they seem to play off each other brilliantly, which is also an important factor in making this film enjoyable. What has become the norm in all Sandler's films are appearances from a bunch of stars which seem to appear in all his films including Rob Schneider, Allen Covert, Blake Clark and Peter Dante who's characters in "50 First Dates" are over the top caricatures which although funny, are purely there as stooges for Sandler.

In his second pairing with Sandler, director Peter Segal has done a reasonable job with the film, but nothing amazing. Yes he has kept it moving at an enjoyable pace, and managed to control some of Sandler's more over the top moments, but that is not really enough to make this film stand out from any of his other films or the numerous other rom-coms which fill our screens. Where he has succeeded is in the brilliant sound track which accompanies the film, filled with laid back music which is very similar to that of musician Jack Johnson, but the climax which features "over the Rainbow" performed by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole is absolutely magnificent.

Although this is by no means the worst rom-com to have been made, it is nothing more than average with its stereotypical plot and predictable Sandler performance. Whilst the pairing of Sandler and Barrymore definitely works and makes the film generally enjoyable the fact that every single element of the film is predictable, from the plot, the jokes and the Sandler cronies who provide the supporting characters hugely detracts from making it really special, not even Barrymore's loveable vulnerability can really save it. This will definitely appeal to fans of Sandler and Barrymore, but if you are looking for an enjoyable rom-com to cuddle up to a loved one with, then I honestly wouldn't put this at the top of the list. In fact I would put "The Wedding Singer", the first pairing of Sandler and Barrymore above this, as it is funnier and fresher.

Certificate: 12
Duration: 95 mins
Year of Release: 2004
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Director(s): Peter Segal
Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Dan Aykroyd, Allen Covert, Blake Clark, Maya Rudolph, Pomaika'i Brown, Joe Nakashima, Peter Dante

Rating: 6/10

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