Gladiator

Gladiator is a film in which the protagonist General Maximus Decimus Meridius is betrayed by the Roman Emperor's son Commodus, who murders his own father to take the throne. Commodus murders Maximus' wife and son and reduced him to slavery to prevent him from defying Commodus' authority. Maximus gains recognition with the crowd as a gladiator to avenge the murders of his family and the true Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

This clip takes place after Maximus successfully defeats his opponents of chariots and archers and is introduced to Commodus.

It is an intense scene that employs many close-ups to reveal what each character--predominantly Maximus, Commodus, Lucilla, and Spencer--are feeling. When Maximus first takes off his helmet, the revelation of his identity alerts Commodus and Lucilla. The close-ups show the intimidation, fear, anger, and jealousy in Commodus' eyes, helping the viewer understand how Commodus is conflicted between executing Maximus on the spot and showing mercy to gain the crowd's approval. One can see that Lucilla is worried for Maximus, and she longs for him to live. This further develops the emotional connection between them that leads Lucilla to help Maximus escape later on.

The medium shots of Maximus always show him standing in front of many other gladiators, showing that he is their leader and that they support him in his quest for vengeance. The gladiators admire him, and their willingness to have his back is evident later on as they sacrifice their lives to help Maximus escape as well. On the other hand, the medium shots of Commodus portray him a few Roman soldiers behind him in the beginning of the clip. Later, the soldiers move so that none of them are in the shot, ironically hinting at a false loyalty. This foreshadows Commodus' eventual downfall.

The long shots in this clip isolate Maximus and the gladiators, showing them to be the elite and crowd favorite. Towards the end of the arena scene, it shows the crowd cheering while they walk away in triumph. This emphasizes the power of the crowd and how Maximus is able to use his popularity to earn a fight to the death with Commodus.