Unlike most actors of his generation, Crowe possesses the ability to use his face, especially his eyes, to express his innermost thoughts and feelings, almost as if he has managed to somehow enter the mind of his character, thus allowing the full extrapolation of Maximus' heart and soul as not only a greatly admired Roman field commander but also as a father, lover and true patrician citizen of Rome.
Also, after escaping from the confines of the gladiatorial prison, Maximus rides headlong to Spain and to his estate where his wife and son await his safe return. But unfortunately, upon reaching home, Maximus discovers that his wife and son have been crucified and that their bodies have been burned. In this scene, Crowe expresses the emotional outrage of a true father and husband, a man utterly dedicated to his family and...
Once again, without relying upon dialog, Crowe manages to bring to the surface an outpouring of true human grief which is clearly reflected in his face and eyes. Thus, Crowe's mastery of the emotive technique draws the audience into the horrors that surrounds Maximus and serves as a kind of fore-shadowing catharsis when Maximus ends up in a fantasy world at the conclusion of the film with his wife and son in the Roman version of heaven known as the Fields of Elysium.
In essence, Russell Crowe's performance in Gladiator exemplifies his great talent as a film performer and sets him apart from many of his contemporaries as one of Hollywood's most versatile and powerful film actors, traits which must have highly influenced the Oscar judges and the voters of the Academy to make Russell Crowe the Best Actor of 2000.
