Gladiator
Specially chosen by videogame designer Rob Pardo (Blizzard Entertainment Inc.)
Russell Crowe plays an enslaved gladiator with a grudge, Maximus, who slices and dices his way through a series of brutal colosseum fights to get to the man who murdered his family, the evil and petulant Roman emperor Commodus (played with relish by Joaquin Phoenix).
Director Ridley Scott renders ancient Rome through some spectacular use of CGI, bringing the grit and visceral excitement of this brutal city to life. Together with Crowe's Best actor Oscar, Gladiator went on to win Best Director and Best Picture.
Selected by Rob Pardo of Blizzard Entertainment Inc, Gladiator fits nicely with this leading game developer's fantasy and role play sensibility.
