The Gladiator

Is it the writing team? The producers? An undisclosed source of financing for the production? Who was it that had connections to M. A. D. D., or an association of driver's ed instructors, to shape the film? The premise is plain enough, and promising, but of whatever else the concept may be, I wasn't anticipating a public service announcement being adapted into a thriller. All this is to say that 'The gladiator' is more than a little heavy-handed in broaching the issues of driving safety and drunk driving; of course these matters are very important, but one doesn't expect such emphatic, unwieldy treatment in a full-length feature, least of all one made by Abel Ferrara. Then again, this was a TV movie, and further proves it with use of music (score or soundtrack) that's a tad kitschy, curt editing (for commercial breaks), and major forthrightness in many regards. None of this inherently reflects on the quality of the picture, but if one isn't prepared to engage with such fare then it's best to not even stop to take a look.

Ferrara is a filmmaker I generally trust; not all his films are equal, but he can broadly be relied upon for solid entertainment. Whatever it was about this project to influence its course, there's no getting around the ungainly inelegance that characterizes a lot of the proceedings. The acting, above all, is often rather blunt, and lacking of tact or nuance. Though technically capable, Ferrara's direction in this case also comes off as a little forced and contrived, so many scenes struggle to feel authentic. Factor in the music that's enjoyable in and of itself but increasingly feels over the top as it's employed, and dialogue and scene writing that's undeniably ham-handed and overdone (including but absolutely not limited to the romantic element), and the viewing experience is surely walking on thin ice. Make no mistake, the stunts are fantastic, and the effects are well done; there are earnest (if relatively minor) thrills to be had from the core substance of the narrative, and it's cathartic to see some rotten people get just desserts. Such value is necessarily weighed against those aspects that raise a skeptical eyebrow, and these are possibly greater in number.

What's arguably most surprising about 'The gladiator' is that beyond the central conceit, the feature also tries to give thoughtful rumination on vigilantism, its worth and its folly. This facet is very welcome, and in fact I'd have liked it if the screenplay dealt with it more. There are two problems, though. First is that when this tack is broached most directly, it's with an exactness relative to other scenes and dialogue that's too on the nose for its own good. Second, with a runtime of just over ninety minutes, I don't think there's enough context of the protagonist's activities to most meaningfully give weight to the meatier topic, and as it stands such pondering is given such minimal, passing treatment that it comes off as a little gauche. And here's one more thing: the climax is surely the single best part of the picture, if imperfect. Yet at large the last fifteen minutes or so feel rushed, and overfull, as though there was a last-minute recognition of how much plot still had to be resolved but the production had definitive limits on how much time it had to do so.

More so than not I think 'The gladiator' is well made, with honest intent and fine craftsmanship, not least from crew behind the scenes. It's a curious mixed bag, however, in almost every way, and in some such regards unquestionably leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. If the writing were handled more delicately and mindfully, that alone would have improved the end result by leaps and bounds, to say nothing of more sincere choices for the music, and more careful editing and direction. Ultimately I don't think this is bad, but nor is it anything that demands viewership. If you happen to come across it it's a decent way to spend 94 minutes, though one must be prepared for the less than ideal treatment of most everything herein, and even at that I wonder if I'm being too generous in my assessment. Probably recommendable for diehard fans of Ferrara or others involved, 'The gladiator' is a modestly satisfying good time, but if you're going to watch, just know what you're getting into and temper your expectations.

Wonderful and rewarding film. The film is about how a simple, good guy decided to restore order on the roads, the reason for this was the death of his brother. He breaks the cars of drunk drivers, leaving them for police. His car is equipped with special devices. The main goal, to find the killer of his brother. Movie impressive car chases and stunts, as well as music and songs.

Cast is worthy. The main character wants to empathize. The girlfriend of the main character Susan is also a very interesting character, it helps Rick cope with depression, she broadcaster, has commented on the development of the story in the course of the film. The movie is saturated dialogs and dramatic moments.

Soulful and entertaining film.

I love Abel Ferrara, but I'm guessing he was slightly high when he accepted this gig and had some bills to pay?? No that's cruel. Although the film stock and general production values of this are shoddy and televisual, Ferrara's gritty aesthetic just about peers through the sanitised veneer of this one. His mechanic best buddy is a nice character, and there are a few unintentional laughs to be had. Overall though, if this was your first insight into abel ferrara, then it would be a bad one to pick...Choose Ms.45, King of New York, Bad Lieutenant or Fear City instead....

I believe Tarantino's segment of the forthcoming film GRINDHOUSE is about a killer, hit-and-run car.....I'm sure he's seen this one then! I also had the (mis)fortune of watching BLACK MOON RISING on the same day!? Also about cars/car chases/the fetishisation of driving souped up cars in the US. Is this the direction that Tarantino is travelling???.....

I was in sixth grade when i first saw this movie, it had everything i was looking for in an "automobile chase" movie, at that time that was what i was into, roadwarrior etc.....

It had the drunk on revenge main character....who soups up his truck to take down drunk drivers after his brother gets hurt by one. And not to mention the standoff automobile fight scene in the end that would make vaughn from crash, pass out in ecstasy.

did i mention that i loved able ferra movies before i even knew who he was?!

If you ever get a chance to see this vehicle vigilance movie. then do so. Other wise you will miss his really cool harpoon gun.

Ah, the 1980s, when Mullets ruled and hair bands screeched like howler monkeys, and Hollywood produced schlock like this as fast as movie cameras could roll.

To say this was made on the cheap is an understatement.

It's sort of a PSA for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

We're missing half the story.

Who says that the baddie's car is called "The Skull Car?" It's not in the movie. That Skull Car attacks randomly? No, he just goes in for disproportionate revenge over petty actions (kinda like our "Hero" does). Is he insane? Well, maybe if the movie had bothered to give him even a single line of dialog, we might know that.

Instead we're just told that the black car driver is insane. Insane villains don't have motivations or back-stories.

1980s action heroes don't know the law about how citizen's arrests work.

Also, when are streets in LA ever that empty? Maybe in the 1920s?

The one thing that movies from the 1980s have that modern movies don't is that the cameras actually focus on the action (such as it is) so that you can see it clearly.

The end result is better than, say, any of the Halloween or Friday the 13th movies, but not by much.