The actual Commodus also had a pretty dramatic and poetic end that wasn't too far removed from the film, being assassinated by his own wrestling partner at the urging of his own mistress and a few others, although it wasn't done in public like in the movie.
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For people less familiar with the lives of Roman emperors, Commodus having a dramatic and poetic end in the movie seems like a plot device added so that such a vile character gets his comeuppance.
The historical Commodus did actually fight in gladiator contests, although it isn't how he died.
Commodus deciding to fight a gladiator in the arena looks like a plot device to let Maximus get his revenge.In fact she's there to tell him there is a growing conspiracy against Commodus, and to ask him to meet a politician who's involved. He has been chained up in preparation for her visit. Alone-with-Prisoner Ploy: When Lucilla arrives at Maximus' cell, she tells him "rich matrons pay well to be pleasured by the bravest champions".Adaptational Dye-Job: The historically blond Commodus is portrayed with black hair.Actually Pretty Funny: Commodus is rather amused when, contrary to history, the 'barbarian hordes' of Carthage end up winning.Bonus points when Joaquin Phoenix's Commodus compares himself to the very Claudius by telling the story of the Emperor and how he was betrayed. Additionally, BRIAN BLESSED is the voice of one of the spectators. Actor Allusion: Derek Jacobi wants to reform Rome.Action Prologue: The film opens with a big, bloody battle between the Roman legions and Germanic barbarians.Arguably it is the skillful use and execution of these scenes that allows this to transcend being a great action movie and become an epic masterpiece. Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: Many examples, especially between Maximus and, variously, Marcus Aurelius, Proximo, Juba, and Lucilla.Maximus swears to avenge their deaths and join them soon after wandering around the countryside, he is soon found and brought into slavery. Maximus escapes his fate, but unfortunately for him, his wife and young son do not. The Emperor's mad son, Commodus ( Joaquin Phoenix), sees things differently: he murders his father, declares himself to be the new Emperor, and orders that Maximus be killed when the general refuses to pledge loyalty to him. In AD 180 at the time of the Roman Empire, General Maximus Decimus Meridius ( Russell Crowe) is named heir to the ailing Emperor Marcus Aurelius ( Richard Harris), who wishes that Rome be restored to a republic with the Senate ruling as the representative of the people.
It is credited with reviving the epic Sword & Sandal genre, which had disappeared from the big screen since the aforementioned Fall of the Roman Empire back in The '60s. It follows the same period of history and takes similar liberties with its plot as the 1964 film The Fall of the Roman Empire, while also taking several cues from Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus. Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott.