Gladiator

Gladiator is a movie that would define half a decade of my life; it's powerful, epic-ally sweeping, well acted and gripping - to name just a few characteristics. It's a true blockbuster, but goes beyond the blockbuster status of movies that had followed it in the mid-nineties. The core difference being the actual development and portrayal of interesting characters set upon an intriguing storyline. The base character path is something that we've all come to know, love and relate to, that being the story of the underdog. But we get a slightly different aspect: Maximus was set to take on the role of the emperor, but was instead thrown to the lions, where he had to work his way up through the ranks of slavery through gladiatorial combat. That's perhaps an oversimplification of the plot, but you already know it, and you've seen the movie a number of times.

I somehow missed this movie in the theatre. I have distinct memories of people talking about it, and here my memory is a bit hazy, as I recall the title in bold black letters on the marquee of various establishments. I can't even tell you the first time I saw the movie, it just came to be. Early on in the release of the home editions, I would be buying the DVD and relishing in it for years to come. As I said earlier, this would define a half decade of my life. During our tenure in university residence, my friends and I would watch this movie countless times. Sitting on the edge of our seats during the action scenes, staring in awe at the Colosseum, and taking in every line of dialogue. It becomes a de facto go-to movie when we couldn't decide on one to watch, and it never got old.

The movie would become the one to demo home theatre equipment with; the visuals were amazing and the soundtrack was booming. When I first got a subwoofer hooked up, it was Gladiator to the rescue. Whenever a new television was purchased or connected, it's Gladiator showing off its visuals. During the years of 2000 to 2005, there were a lot of technological advancements in my home theatre. First, was the addition of surround sound, then, a new television (flat tube CRT). DVDs became prominent and as they were remastered and re-released, my group of friends and I were on top of it; always looking out of the highest quality releases. So when a blockbuster like Gladiator comes along it's ideal: not only a fantastic movie but a great demo and test of your system.

As I watched the movie a few weeks ago, it struck me that Gladiator became a social event, just like The Big Lebowski and American Psycho. I hadn't watched these on their own in four or five years, and the urge to watch the Bluray version of Gladiator overcame me. I was worried, of course. Had the movie stood the test of time? Would my taste in film preclude me from enjoying this classic that I had once adorned?

Gladiator looks old, but it also looks great. I'm surprised, frankly, by the image quality here, simply because it's better than expected, and I'm not sure that it has been remastered. Years ago I would load up the DVD for Lord of the Rings and behold the terrible quality. The hi-def editions of those movies look incredible, and I find that Gladiator looks nicely grainy, gritty and natural. All good things, considering the CGI that's embedded into the film. You know the story behind the Colosseum, and I'm sure the effects are all over in this movie. But it's a prime example of how to do these type of effects effectively, and it pays off. Years later they still look great.

Without a doubt, this movie will continue to be one that I use to "break-in" a new television set, and a great one to show off to future generations. It stands as one of the best.