Gladiator is so much more than an action film. This movie explores the depths of a man's soul from the peak of his career to utter desolation. Maximus is one of the best generals in the army of Marcus Aurelius at first. Then the Emperor wants him to take over ruling the country, but his time of glory is cut short by the murders of the Emperor and his own family. Gladiator focuses on Maximus' life, his love, and his dreams.

Gladiator is a long, epic film following Maximus' life. At a time of short movies, Gladiator was unique simply due to its length, but the longer time frame allows the story and the characters to become well-developed. Viewers have time to evaluate the characters and see many facets of their different sides. Gladiator could have easily turned into a simple historic action picture...