Gladiator

Film Analysis 1- Gladiator

Synopsis

Crowe, R. (2000). Gladiator's poster. Retrieved June 27, 2015 from http://www.flicks.co.nz/movie/gladiator/poster/

The story begins with a complex of relationship, social status and power in the Ancient Rome. Marcus Aurelius, the old king who love Maximus as a son. He plans to pass his position to Maximus instead of his identical son, Commodus. Commodus feels mad and depress, therefore he kill his father and claim the position by himself. He also kills Maximus and his family because of his jealousy. However, Maximus escape and run back home to see his family. Unfortunately, his family dies and he had given up surviving. When his is giving up his life, someone took him away as a slave and sell it to a gladiator trainer. He became a gladiator that fights for victory and he win the crowd. After he became famous, he has been transfer to The Colosseum with his fellows. His team needs to fight with other candidates. As usual, he wins the battle and the new king, Commodus would like to grant him for the great battle. Commodus finds out that this incredible gladiator is Maximus. He tries to kill him immediately but the crowd protects him and supports him to be alive. Therefore, Commodus didn’t get a chance to kill him. Commodus set an unfair battle with Maximus to kill him with pride. Maximus defend him and kill him for his revenge and also for the people of Rome. Maximus dies with honour and proof that people is the power of Rome.

Analysis

Props

The mi-se-scene of the film show us the era of Roman period. By using the props to stress up the setting of the film, the narrative used many weapons to show the cruel and bloody moments when the war, fight or battle begins.

They also use animals to show the audience of the hierarchy of nature. To let the audience to feel the pressure of this gladiators. The gladiators need to fight for their life or else they end up become foods for this animals.

Props as Metaphor

By using props as metaphor, these dolls are not only dolls but also represent Maximus family that lives far away for him.

Costumes and make ups

The changes of Maximus dressing

Maximus start from a general to a slave and until the end a gladiator. His costume had pretty much change to show his status in different hierarchy.

The different status shown in costumes

The characters wear differently to classify their social status as upper or lower class in the society.

Settings 

The Colosseum

The Colosseum is where their battle started. This location is the main join of the relationship between Maximus and Commodus. Without The Colosseum, they won’t meet up and the narrative is unable to complete.

The Heaven

In the part of the film, Maximus meet his wife and son on heaven after he dies on the battleground. They use mostly white and blue to present peaceful of heaven.

Performance

The violence action

In war, battleground and fights, cruel and bloody action shows the merciless world.

The relationship of Lucilla and Maximus

The actor’s performance has success to show the narrative of Lucilla and Maximus relationship. Maximus save her and her son by killing Commodus. When they talk on the scene, the distant between Lucilla and Maximus was close together that show the bond between them.

The relationships between Maximus, Commodus and Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius show more love to Maximus by giving Rome to Maximus. Also, he trusted Maximus would be a better emperor to dominate Rome. Commodus turns love to hatred and kill his father. As his father love Maximus and the country more than him. The relationships are shown clearly to the audience with their performance. Their facial expression is well perform to let us feel their feeling toward each other’s.

Lighting

Low-key and high contrast

Majority of the film are used high contrast lighting to show the darkness and struggle of them. Especially Maximus and Commodus, both of their shots have more shadows than lights. 

Different lighting on Maximus journey to his home

When Maximus escape and going back to his family, the dim lighting to show that he is weak and hopeless at the beginning. Afterthat, the shots jump and show the army coming to the village to kill Maximus family. That moment, they use high key lighting and blue sky to show they are happy and thought that Maximus is back. On the other hand, Maximus start to awake and hurry up to go back to his family. The lighting on him starting to be bright until he reach the village and found his family death body the lighting on Maximus get back to dim.  This high and low key lighting shows his emotion changes and the mood of the scene.

Conclusion

A slave can win a king with the support of people.  The destiny of Maximus have shown us power of the people are able to win the power of rights and status. Strength and contributions will be persuasive to the people; Maximus has the power to pursue the people on believing him as the hero. However, Commodus’s obsessed to power until he lost his humanity and destroys himself.