Gladiator (1992)

one of my absolute favorites!

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Gladiator is the movie for those who like action movies and for those who are 13 and older. It is a prime time movie. Watch it alone or with friends, it doesn't matter. You will too absorbed in the movie to socialize much with others. Gladiator could be seen as a black v white movie. However, it later becomes an us v them movie. This is the first movie I can recall seeing Cuba Gooding Jr. in. He is really good in this movie. Amateur or pre-professional boxing must be really grueling like pro. The film makes one wonder on just how corrupt the sport of boxing really is. The film keeps you on your toes. You'll forget about your beer and popcorn in this movie. Enjoy the fight.

Wooden-faced James Marshall stars in GLADIATOR as a deprived youth caught up in the world of underground boxing. He must make good on some debts of his father's (William Heard), the paper on which is being held by fight promoter and all-around bad guy Brian Dennehy. Marshall makes friends with fellow boxer Cuba Gooding and philosophical corner man Ossie Davis. Director Rowdy Harrington does a great job staging the boxing matches, which include knees to the head, headlocks, choking, shots to the groin and kidneys, leg sweeps, body slams and drugging opponents. Some of the matches are difficult to watch once the nasty stuff starts and the blood begins flowing freely. But that's why GLADIATOR is rated R and not PG-13. The young Cuba Gooding outacts everyone else in this early '90s boxing flick, although Dennehy is in full, frothing-at-the-mouth mode as a man interested only in making money, even at the expense of lives.

Through the Nineties I did my trips to the video shop to rent B movies as they were mostly better than the Hollywood ones and Gladiator is the one B Movie which stands out. If you watch it now you would compare it to the likes of Rocky and 8 Mile because of it's background set around a dead less town with nobody but dead weights.I think James Marshall is playing his best [performance of his career which isn't didn't last that long. Cuba Gooding Jnr will be most recognised here as Lincoln. Also there is Brain Dennehy and Robert Loggia as the would be villains. Tommy Riley played by Marshall is a loner and keeps himself to himself but because of this he attracts trouble on his first day in school since moving with his father who is an addictive drunk and gambler who is sorting his life out. Tommy one night is working at the local café and is confronted outside by the local gang run by there leader Short Cut. Punches are thrown and Tommy comes better off but they are interrupted by Pappy Jack played by Robert Loggia who scouts and looks for would be Boxer hopefuls to put them into the ring in illegal boxing. To clear his father's debts he is taken in by the money that the boxing offers and as much he tries to get out of it there is always something bringing him back. Here he meets Romano and becomes friendly with Lincoln and is a household name but knows it's not long till his own brain will be crushed without repair. The man that decides everything is Horn played brilliantly by Brian Dennehy who always has something on each Boxer to continue Boxing and make him more Money than he already has. Greed has an obvious big part to play in the film but what is great to see is how all the young characters bond well as they are into the same mess as each other but know there is no other way out to make money for their families and to get by. There are scenes where you will cheer harder than you did for rocky but it's the performance as with rocky that steal the show with everyone on top form and not one bad word to be said. Films like this are not made these days so appreciate this for what it did in the nineties and also probably helped some careers especially Cuba Gooding who starred in this not much longer after Boyz N The Hood. If you get the chance then watch this as it has a story than it strong enough to better the likes of 8 Mile and has better performances and memorable characters and a the same time will make you feel good about yourself which is why gladiator is the important film that I will always remember.

"Gladiator" (1991) tells of a young down-on-his-luck student (Marshall) who takes up underground boxing to pay off his father's gambling debts. In the process he, of course, kicks everyone's butt like some kind of supercharged "Rocky" and captures the heart of the resident babe (Buono). Both Marshall and Buono turn in wooden performances while surrounded by a bunch of B-listers who all appear to be in this gig for a paycheck. Lackluster, obvious, predictable, and very ordinary, this "Gladiator" is one to miss. Now in broadcast purgatory. (C-)