Triple-bill of heroic adventure movies. In 'Robin Hood' (2010), after the death of Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) in the Crusades, Sir Robin of Loxley (Russell Crowe) returns from war to his home in the north of England. There, he comes up against the oppressive regime imposed by the tyrannical new Sheriff of Nottingham (Matthew Macfadyen). Robin summons up a group of supporters and puts his formidable archery skills to use in an effort to free the people from corruption and political injustice. Cate Blanchett co-stars as Maid Marian. In 'Gladiator' (2000), after the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) betrays the Emperor's beloved General Maximus (Crowe) and takes the throne for himself. Maximus is sold as a slave and then trained as a gladiator, keeping himself strong with thoughts of revenge. Eventually he is taken to the Colosseum, where he prepares to fight in a contest presided over by the corrupt Commodus. Will he suffer the ultimate humiliation and die for the entertainment of his enemy or will he survive the rigors of the arena and find a way of exacting his revenge? Finally, in 'Spartacus' (1960), slave-gladiator Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) sets out to lead the slaves of the Roman Empire in a rebellion against their masters. The ranks quickly swell as the slave army makes its way across Italy towards the coast. But the despotic Roman senator Crassus (Laurence Olivier) determines to quell the revolt for his own selfish ends, and the stage is thus set for an epic battle.
Titles Comprise:
Robin Hood: Russell Crowe stars as the legendary figure known by generations as "Robin Hood", whose exploits have endured in popular mythology and ignited the imagination of those who share his spirit of adventure and righteousness. In 13th century England, Robin and his band of marauders confront corruption in a local village and lead an uprising against the crown that will forever alter the balance of world power. And whether thief or hero, one man from humble beginnings will become an eternal symbol of freedom for his people.
The film chronicles the life of an expert archer, previously interested only in self-preservation, from his service in King Richard's army against the French. Upon Richard's death, Robin travels to Nottingham, a town suffering from the corruption of a despotic sheriff and crippling taxation, where he falls for the spirited widow Lady Marion (Cate Blanchett), a woman sceptical of the identity and motivations of this crusaderfrom the forest. Hoping to earn the hand of Maid Marian and salvage the village, Robin assenbles a gang whose lethal mercanary skills are matched only by its appetite for life. Together, they begin preying on the indulgent upper class to correct injustices under the sheriff.
With their country weakened from decades of war, embattled from the ineffective rule of the new king and vulnerable to insurgencies from within and threats from afar, Robin and his men heed a call to ever greater adventure. This unlikeliest of heroes and his allies set off to protect their country from slipping into bloody civil war and return to glory to England once more.
Gladiator: The great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe - LA Confidential) has once again led the legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won, Maximus dreams of home, wanting only to return to his wife and son; however, the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has one more duty for the general - to assume the mantle of his power.
Jealous of Maximus' favour with the Emperor, the heir to the throne, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix Walk The Line), orders his execution - and that of his family. Barely escaping death, Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows.
Now he has come to Rome, intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor; Commodus...
Spartacus: Stanley Kubrick's film tells the tale of Spartacus, the bold gladiator slave and Virinia, the woman who believed in his cause. Challenged by the power-hungry General Crassus, Spartacus is forced to face his convictions and the power of Imperial Rome at its glorious height. A classic, inspirational true account of one man's struggle for freedom, Spartacus combines history with spectacle to recreate a moving drama of love and commitment.
