Gladiator

Roman general Maximus is betrayed by the Emperor’s jealous son Commodus who has his family murdered and has him sold into slavery. Rising through the gladiatorial arena to become Rome’s most celebrated fighter Maximus works toward a single purpose: vengeance against the man who destroyed his life. Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic is spectacular entertainment anchored by Russell Crowe’s most commanding performance and Joaquin Phoenix’s magnificently sniveling villain — a film that earns its bombast because it genuinely cares about its characters.