The 2000 film, Gladiator, won five Oscars for Best Picture (Douglas Wick, David Franzoni, Branko Lustig), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Russell Crowe), Best Costume Design (Janty Yates), Best Sound (Scott Millan, Bob Beemer, Ken Weston), and Best Effects-Visual Effects (John Nelson, Neil Corbould, Tim Burke, Rob Harvey). It was nominated for seven more and tallied up 59 wins from 2000-2001. Sir Ridley Scott directed Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), Thelma & Louise (1991), and in 2000, directed Gladiator. The film was written by David Franzoni and was acquired by DreamWorks, who signed Ridley Scott to direct the movie. The story was inspired by Daniel P. Mannix's 1958 novel Those About to Die (previously titled The Way of the Gladiator). After reading the ancient Roman Histria Augusta, he based the story on Commodus. Franzoni completed the original draft in 1998. The main character was named Narcissus and was a wrestler who strangled Emperor Commodus to death, much like the primary sources from Herodian and Cassius Dio. After many edits, the film was re-written to the way it is now and sits at the 44th spot on IMDb's Top 250 Films list.
Though the film is set in Rome, most of the movie was filmed in England, Morocco, and Malta, with only two critical scenes shot in the Orcia Valley in Tuscany. All the ancient Roman cities and sights were explicitly made for production. The film features a strong cast with Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, the late Oliver Reed (in his final role), Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, the late John Shrapnel, the late Richard Harris, and Tommy Flanagan. Russell Crowe plays Maximus Decimus Meridius, the former Roman General who sets out to avenge his wife and son's death by plotting to take down the corrupt emperor of Rome. The movie's turning point is Maximus' botched execution ordered by Commodus, the new emperor of Rome. While Maximus did not die, he did sustain a painful laceration on his right arm. What is the significance of his wound, and how does it help Maximus get his revenge?
Around half an hour into the film, Maximus gets cut with an arrow leading to a disgusting wound. Since it's a Ridley Scott film, we have to see this revolting image for the next ten minutes, but at the same time, we know that this wound is somehow significant to the plot. The injury is hard to watch; I found myself looking away at the close-up because of how weepy and full of maggots it was. The wound does symbolize a few things, though. Take the maggots first. Unsurprisingly, using maggots to clean wounds is an ancient technique. More likely than not, the maggots were placed on the wound so that they would eat the dead or dying flesh to allow new flesh to grow cleanly. Maggots are almost always symbolic of an infestation. Since Maximus received his wound at the hands of his soldiers taking orders from Commodus, the wound tells us that Maximus is now 'infested' by Commodus. The impulse to take revenge on Commodus has taken over Maximus' mind, much like the maggots took over his wound.
The wound also serves as a symbol of Rome's betrayal of Maximus. A little lower than the wound is his SPQR tattoo, an acronym that stands for Senātus Populusque Rōmānus, meaning "the Senate and the Roman People." This tattoo is essentially a branding on Maximus, showing that he belongs to Rome. The wound is located centimeters above the tattoo, showing that his identity as a Roman soldier is in danger. When Maximus cuts out the tattoo, he's essentially showing that he doesn't want anything to do with Rome or its people anymore. After the murder of his family, he symbolically exiles himself from the empire he spent his life serving. He shows no more allegiances, alliances, or connections to Rome any longer. Cutting the tattoo is an essential transition for Maximus. It symbolizes more than hatred and revenge. It represents Maximus' transition from a member of the Roman army to an outsider, a gladiator, and a slave.
Even though Maximus kills Commodus in a duel in the Colosseum, his intention was never to "free" Rome, even though that was what Marcus Aurelius asked him to do. Maximus made it clear from the beginning of the film that his primary goal was to win the war and return to his wife, son, and the fall harvest. When Commodus killed his family, that goal was replaced with the need to get revenge and join his family in the afterlife, whenever that might be.
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