Cultural Representation in Film: An Overview
“Gladiator” portrays the story as the Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who becomes an enslaved person as a result of Commodus’s betrayal. Commodus, Marcus Aurelius’ son, kills his father to become the emperor. As a result of the events, Maximus becomes a gladiator. This would allow him to avenge Commodus, who murdered his family and took away his freedom. Commodus ends up having to fight Maximus in the arena before wounding him, which creates a disadvantage.
Despite the injury, Maximus manages to overpower and kill his opponent, passing away as he wishes for reforms to be made. The culture illustrated in the film highlights the world of gladiators as enslaved people whose drive is to obtain glory and freedom through wins in the Colosseum. The winners are portrayed as heroes who the Romans respect, one of them being Proximo, who has his arena as a result of being successful in his fights as a former slave (Scott, 2000). Hence, gladiators are suggested to have a high social status and be respected in Roman society.
Comparing Film Culture to Historical Accuracy: Real vs. Fictional Portrayal
The film does, indeed, measure up to historical reality in several aspects. Needless to say, gladiator fights in arenas were popular at the time. Moreover, winners have the opportunity to gain freedom based on their successes (Ancient Roman Gladiators, 2018). The fighters were slaves who were used to entertain the public and did not have the celebrity status highlighted in the film.
Moreover, the cultural aspect included in the film in which the crowd decides the fate of a filter through thumb movements is not historically accurate (McManus). Marcus Aurelius and Commodus are historical figures, yet their rivalry and assassination are not factual. On the other hand, Maximus is a fictional character constructed as a prototype inspired by existing individuals in Roman history.
References
Ancient Roman gladiators. The Colosseum. (2018). Web.
McManus, B. F. (n.d.). Arena: Gladiatorial games. VRoma. Web.
Scott, R. (2000). Gladiator [Film]. Universal Pictures.