Maybe...

The Netherlands [ENA] A few weeks ago, I watched Gladiator 2 in the cinema. I had seen Gladiator 1 a long time ago. Both films are directed by Ridley Scott, and the director has once again successfully delivered his work. The fact that the first film won five Academy Awards speaks volumes, in my opinion.

The first film was released in 2000. Russell Crowe played the lead role as General Maximus Decimus Meridius. Maximus was a commander who had earned the trust of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. However, due to the betrayal of the emperor’s son, Commodus, his family was murdered, and he was sold into slavery. Maximus sought revenge by fighting as a gladiator in the arenas. The second film was released in cinemas in 2024. It features renowned actors such as Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, and Joseph Quinn in leading roles. The storyline follows Lucius, the son of Lucilla, during the transition of power to the Severan dynasty in the Roman Empire.

These films leave unforgettable impressions on audiences with their historical events and dramatic narratives. The central themes and messages of both films revolve around the struggle for justice and revenge, hatred for betrayal, relentless pursuit of freedom, the life of slaves, and ultimately, the concepts of fear and power. Naturally, the second film is a continuation of the first. After watching it, I found myself deeply contemplating—not just on that day, but for days. Even weeks later, I felt the need to write this. Both films contain significant violence and bloody scenes, and most of us watch these without blinking. It is true that the films depict the era of the Roman Empire.

You may say that such things were considered normal at the time and that the director has simply tried to portray them authentically. That is correct. However… There is a saying: “Everything that comes before ‘but’ loses its meaning.” I don’t remember who said it, but sometimes I agree with it. Nevertheless, the issue I want to address has always troubled me, and this film made me reflect on it even more. Even today, we watch various types of fights in different arenas, considering them sports. True, the participants are not killed, they simply fight. But there are injuries, and we still see blood.We watch all of this with great interest, hoping that the athlete we support will win and dominate their opponent.

Think about boxing, mixed martial arts, and similar combat sports. Humans are peculiar creatures—we are drawn to fighting and watching fights. This has been the case for centuries. There are also those who pit nations against each other in wars for their own interests, and this too has persisted for centuries. One brings pleasure; the other brings profit. But we keep orchestrating conflicts. Sometimes, I wonder: perhaps to end wars in the world, we should reduce or even eliminate violent sports. Perhaps we should encourage people to be more humane.

Perhaps we should strive to be more just. Perhaps we should free ourselves from the desire to be stronger than everyone else. Perhaps we should start with ourselves… Perhaps… There are many perhaps. The great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy once wrote: “Let everyone sweep in front of their own door, and the whole street will be clean.” If we consider this perspective, if everyone keeps their conscience clean, if everyone strives to be humane and just, maybe our world will be a fairer place. Yet again—maybe.