Gladiator Review

[wbassett]

This is a movie I love. Fighters are forced to entertain the rich and privledged... brutality is a way of life for them, and sometimes death. There are rules, but yet no rules, their only purpose is to entertain and make their owner's rich...

No, this is not Ridley Scott's Academy Award winning 2000 block buster, it was made eight years earlier and one I found not many seem to know about.

The cast includes James Marshall, Cuba Gooding Jr., T.E. Russell, Robert Loggia, and Brian Dennehy.

The story is a unique twist on boxing, it deals with the underground illegal boxing matches run by the mob. After Tommy Riley's (James Marshall) mother dies, his father falls apart and has been living in a bottle for the past year, ruining not only his career, but his life as well as Tommy's. Forced to move to the bad section of town, and left alone while his father tries to get his act together and secure a job in sales, Tommy catches the attention of a local wise guy (Robert Loggia) when he is seen in a street fight. Loggia immediately preys on Tommy's isolation and need for some fast cash and pulls him into the world of illegal boxing... a world where the fighters are paid well as long as they win, but ultimately they are nothing but property to the main heavy, Jimmy Horn (Brian Dennehy).

Cuba Gooding Jr. shows his original acting ability which he somehow left behind in his recent movies. Cuba's character Abraham Lincoln Haines and Tommy soon become friends outside the ring, but Horn has plans for them inside the ring. Haines is the best fighter Horn has. Horn sees Tommy as the great white underdog and as a source of making a lot of money off of that angle.

Don't expect Academy Award winning acting and performances, but the acting is solid and the characters are ones you like and some you despise. The bad guys can be a little one dimensional and since we already know we're supposed to hate them, there isn't much for those actors to do but play it over the top.

Some of the things I really liked about the movie were little things, like Loggia's flunky thug carried around a ready supply of candy bars for his boss... sounds dumb but it was an interesting detail in the sense someone thought it up. One character that stood out as both likable and someone I wanted to know more about was Noah, played by Ossie Davis. Noah is Tommy's corner man and mentor that has had a hard life yet hasn't soured, not completely at least. There is just a hint that a younger Noah was once in the same situation as Riley and the other fighters... a gladiator to entertain people.

The fight scenes will please any boxing fan, and there are plenty of them. There are at least a half dozen fights in the movie as well as montage fight sequences. The choreography is as good as any boxing flick I've seen and very enjoyable, if not brutal at times.

Dennehy's mob boss Jimmy Horn was a former light heavy weight contender up until an injury took him out of action. He plays a particularly despicable character. He discovers that Tommy's father racked up some substantial debts to a loan shark for gambling and Horn buys the markers, essentially buying Tommy as a fighter that has no choice but to continue living in this brutal world or Horn will send his leg breakers after his father.

The ending is extremely satisfying. I can't say anymore or it would ruin it, but when I spin this movie for friends I have actually seen people jump up and shout 'YEAH!'

There was nothing notable about the sound track, it was typical early 90's. The music is forgettable but does match the scenes and mood of the movie.

It's not Million Dollar Baby, or Rocky, but in my opinion it's better than some of the Rocky sequels (especially V). If you like boxing and sports movies, this one is worth checking out.

DVD Details
Actors: James Marshall, Cuba Gooding Jr., T.E. Russell, Robert Loggia, Jon Seda
Directors: Rowdy Herrington
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English, Spanish
Region: Region 1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
Rating
Studio: Sony Pictures
DVD Release Date: September 26, 2000
Run Time: 101 minutes

[Owen Bartley]

Ah, I'll admit it, you fooled me! But this is also a great movie. From "Black Death" to "top of the head... hardest part of the body" this was a great movie. It was awkward when it had to be, brutal when it needed to be, and it even had a little fun in it. Actually, this is one that I should put on my wishlist, so than you for reminding me about it!

[wbassett]

That's why I put the DVD case image at the bottom of this one!

So what did you think of the ending? One of the most satisfying endings I've seen in a long time. Can't give it away though, but it definitely is one that makes you cheer.

[Owen Bartley]

Yeah, I thought the ending was pretty appropriate. Actually, you're right, satisfying is a good word for it. Realistic or not, it was still good to see.

I keep remembering parts of this movie now (it's been a while since I've seen it) like his dishwasher job, and Eduardo (Gerardo?) and his dance moves... the gang related stuff, and his dad. Lots of things going on here, it wasn't just a movie about fighting.