Summary of the movie „Gladiator“
The historical monumental film “Gladiator” is directed by Ridley Scott in year 2000 and set in the USA. The movie is about a general who becomes a slave and fight as a gladiator to get his revenge and his freedom.
Maximus is a famous general in the ancient Rome. The emperor chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son Commodus who is trying to avoid this, murder his own father and appoint himself as the new emperor of Rome. He tries to kill Maximus, too but he manages to escape and seeks his family who is already dead. Lost in the desert he is found by slave trader who sells him to a gladiator school. He's a successful gladiator and is respected and loved by the others.
The gladiator force is committed to Rome, where Commodus attaches gladiator games in the Coliseum. Maximus wants revenge for the death of his family and Commodus dead. After his first successful battle in the arena Maximus shows Commodus his true identity and tells him publicly his hostility. Maximus is portrayed by the audience as a hero and idol. In addition, he is visited by Lucilla, the sister of Commodus who is the connection between Maximus and Senator Gracchus. The three want to make Rome a Republican town, as the old emperor wished and they want to stop the power of Commodus.
Commodus feels that the popularly beloved Maximus threatening his empire. But none of his attempts to kill Maximus succeed. His selfish desire for recognition by the Roman people and for the love of his sister remains unsatisfied and drives him into delusions.
Gracchus, Lucilla and Maximus are planning a coup that did not work and Maximus stumbles into a trap and is captured. Now Commodus sees his chance, he wants to establish his own dynasty and therefore he blackmails his sister to inbreeding. In order to overcome Maximus finally, he stages a sword fight between him and himself in the Coliseum. But before he weakens Maximus by ramming him a dagger in the side. But Maximus wins the duel with absolute power, but dies immediately thereafter. He is worn out in honor of his friends, but Commodus is left in the dust.