This Movie is the G.O.A.T.!
If you are not a fan of the movie Gladiator, stop reading right here. I’m about to propose, expound upon, drone on and on about, and otherwise blather verbosely about my grand hypothesis that it is the greatest movie ever made. The. Greatest.
Note to trolls: Please realize three things - 1. This is my opinion, not yours, 2. Feel free to go crazy on why you disagree and what your favorite movies are ON YOUR OWN BLOG, 3. I could be terribly wrong, but since we’re just talking about a movie, not world peace, why not give me some slack and let me be wrong? Especially if it makes me happy. Which it does!
So here’s the thing: despite what I just said above, Gladiator is probably NOT the greatest movie ever made. It might not even rank in the top 10 in terms of scripting, cinematography, acting, directing... I’m willing to admit that.
To me, Gladiator is the Tom Brady of films - i.e. the G.O.A.T.
Here’s the other thing (you knew this was coming!): To me, it’s the Tom Brady of films - i.e. the G.O.A.T. Let me explain.
The first time I saw Gladiator, I was nonplussed. I mean, it was okay. Was I not entertained? Yes, I was entertained. But there were plenty of other good films released in 2000: Memento, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Remember the Titans, Unbreakable...
Fast forward almost exactly one decade and Gladiator had evolved into an enduring classic that was having and would continue to have, a major impact on my life. Not because the plot or characters had changed. But because I had changed. As had my life circumstances. That’s code for: divorce.
Post-D, I suddenly found myself identifying with Maximus, the injustices he faced, and the challenges he had to endure in order to survive. I also had a growing desire to ride into battle brandishing a whopping sword, with a loyal wolf-dog at my side. But that’s another story.
My dog, Maximus. He was a brave warrior.
If you have never seen the movie, please send me a selfie of yourself from your home on Mars. That must be where you have been residing for the past 20+ years. If that’s the case, or if it’s been a while since you last watched it, let me offer the following brief synopsis of the ups and downs of (*spoiler alert*) the ENTIRE plot.
Up: Maximus Decimus Meridius (played by Russell Crowe) courageously leads the Roman army to victory against the last remaining hoard of Germanic barbarians.
Up: Emperor Marcus Aurelius chooses Maximus to be the next leader of Rome.
Down: Maximus doesn’t want to lead Rome. He wants to go home to Spain to see his wife and young son.
Down: The Emperor’s evil, nasty, no-good son, Commodus (played with genuinely believable evil, no-good, nastiness by Joaquin “The Joker” Phoenix) wants to be the next leader.
Down: The Emperor tells Commodus, “Nope.”
Down: Commodus says, “Wanna bet?” and murders dear old dad.
Down: Commodus then tries to kill Maximus and has Maximus’ family horrifically executed.
Slight Up: Maximus manages to escape but...
Triple Down: He’s badly injured, reaches his family only to find them dead, and is soon captured by slave traders.
Down Yet Again: Maximus is sold to a guy who trains men to kill each other for sport.
Up: Maximus starts slicing and dicing his opponents in the ring.
Up: Maximus eventually fights Commodus in the Coliseum - killing the evil, nasty, no-good little jerk.
Oh, I forgot to mention the Biggest Down: Before the climactic battle, Commodus stabs Maximus while he’s in chains, to ensure victory. Despite this, Maximus wins. But he then keels over dead.
Now: La vraie fin.
As you can see, Gladiator is a mostly downer movie. But the main character is a brave warrior who overcomes incredible obstacles in order to die a cruel, unfair death. No, wait. The main character is a hero who has terrible luck and then gets the shaft. No, that’s not really it either. I mean, he loses in the end, but he kinda wins. Sort of.
Screen shot from my phone. Yes, I listen to this at the gym.
Seriously, what I appreciate most about Maximus, his trials and tribulations, can be summarized in two phrases: 1. He always does the right thing, and 2. He never gives up.
Maximus is loyal to Rome, to the true Emperor, to his family. He won’t serve Commodus. Neither will he engage in hanky-panky with the Emperor’s daughter. He also won’t fight just because some ignoramus trainer tells him too.
That’s called integrity.
In the never give up department... Where to even start? You lose your status, job, family, health, and freedom. Yet you keep going? What the heck for???
Maximus answers that question in the opening sequence of the movie. During his pre-battle speech to his elite troops, he shares something with them that turns out to be much more than just pep-talk jargon. It’s his personal code: What we do in life, echoes in eternity.
Boom! Truth!
Maximus keeps going because he understands that life is about more than just what happens to us. It’s about how we respond to what happens to us.
Maximus keeps going because he understands that life is about more than just what happens to us. It’s about how we respond to what happens to us. And that response will endure far longer than any disastrous events, tragedies, betrayals, or disappointments.
So you can roll your eyes and dismiss Gladiator as a stereotypical guy movie with too much blood and guts. But I’ve come to realize that blood and guts (i.e. warfare) is part of the journey. And doing the right thing while refusing to give up is crucial to achieving victory in the battles.
What we do in life, echoes in eternity.
If we can keep that eternal perspective, we won’t lose hope or be tempted to hang it up. That’s why Gladiator is a big deal to me and also why those words have become something of a mantra. In fact, what I should do is get that on a poster and hang it in my office. Or maybe get a sticker and put it on my truck. Oh, wait...! I’ve got it: A tattoo! Yes!! That would be awesome!!!
Now, go watch Gladiator again. And don’t be surprised if it motivates you to get out there and start echoing all up and down eternity. It might even inspire you to head to your local tat parlor and get some fresh ink.