Part One:  Overall, I really enjoyed this movie.  I think that is a great mixture of intense battle scenes, with all the other stuff that goes on.  I think it was put together very well.  Also thought that Russel Crowe did phenomenal in the movie at portraying a character who works his way up after having everything, and getting it taken from him.  Not many people could have pulled it off.  I really enjoyed the battle scenes, but also the struggle of Lucilla as she had to please Commodus while being in love with Maximus.  It always adds something to a movie when an event like this is taking place.  I also thought that the actor who portrayed Commodus did very well, after learning how weird Commodus actually was.  I've already seen this movie, but I never mind watching it again as I seem to always get attached, so I guess that's a good thing.

Part Two:  I think that the theme or moral to this story is that the good will always rise above the evil.  Maximus had everything, but it was all taken from him by Commodus.  Even when his situation looked very dark, he still found a way to fight his way back up.  He emerged as the most popular gladiator, and was inspiring many people.  In the end, he ends up killing Commodus who I think desrved to die, therefore ridding everyone of the evil.  Even though Maximus dies, I believe his dying shows that it's worth dying for the good of man kind.  He saw a vision that was Rome, that was shared by his Hero Marcus Aurelius, and he fought to the death to make that goodness happen.