Gladiator.... RawR!

So I finally got to watch Gladiator. It took me forever to get a hold of this movie. Seriously though... it did. I think I've seen this movie once before, but I never really paid attention, so I wasn't sure what was going on. Since I had to pay attention this time for a class assignment, I was able to figure out what was happening.

The theme of the entire movie is "The General who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an empire." These words were spoken by Commodus, the King's son. Now Commodus was pissed off because the King was about to die and he was giving his kindship over to Maximus, who wasn't his son, just a general to his army. The King loved Maximus as his own son, because Maximus wanted to do the right thing for the people.

The King said before dying, "Will the King be remembered as a philosopher, a warrior, a tyrant, or an emperor who gave Rome back her power?" By this he meant that when he died he wanted the power to go to the Senate instead of a dictator. He wanted Maximus to be the head ruler because he is not yet corrupted by greed or power. Because of this, Commodus killed his own father by suffocating him as he hugged him. He was crying while doing it because he knew it was wrong, but he was jealous.

After the King's death, Commodus, also known as Caeser now, ordered for Maximus's arrest and execution. Maximus kicks everybody's ass and survives. He had a vision of his wife and son, which woke him up, but when he got to them they were burned to a crisp and hung. He broke down. He buried them and slept.

When he awoke he was being carried by a group of men with animals. He was sold to Proximo and was now a gladiator. Maximus refuses to fight anybody and he ends up cutting out his tattoo that signified he was a general of the Roman army.

For the people's enjoyment, Caeser orders day after day of gladiator games. He says that people will love him for victories and death. Maximus ends up killing everybody by himself during one of the games. He then yells at the crowd telling them their disgusting, and then they cheer for him. Proximo, his owner, was once a gladiator. He becomes friends with Proximo and is taught how to win his freedom. He simply has to "win the crowd."

With this, Caeser tries everything in his power to have Maximus killed. Nothing works. Maximus has all of the gladiators work together, and most of them end up surviving each game. After one game, Caeser's sister visits Maximus to make a plan for his escape. (She is worried about her son dying because Caeser threatened her.)

After Maximus beats the undefeated Champion Titus, who was retired for 5 years, he is now known as "Maximus the Merciful," because he refused to kill Titus when Caeser gave the thumbs down.

Caeser decides to fight Maximus himself. Right before he rasing them up to battle, he stabs Maximus in the lower part of the stomach. He then orders for his wounds to be hidden by his armor. (Dirty bastard) They then raise the platform and they begin their duel. Caeser sucks ass pretty bad, and Maximus ends up killing Caeser with Caeser's own hidden blade that he used to stab Maximus before the duel started. After he kills Caeser he dies peacefully because he can see his wife and son waiting for him on the other side.

This is the stupidest ending in the entire world. Why the hell did he have to die??? He totally liked the other woman and her son too. He should have lived and been able to rule, since he went through all of those hardships. Good movie. Stupid movie ending.