Maximus As An Epic Hero

The protagonist in any epic genre film such as 300 and Gladiator is known to be a great hero however without the antagonist his role in the film would be vastly diminished if not completely redundant, the antagonist shapes the film in order to display the hero’s abilities and gives him the task that he must triumph over thus without the antagonist the protagonist is not necessary destroying the fundamental keys of the epic movie.
Through out the film Maximus is depicted as the epic hero through the use of film techniques, he is primarily shot at a low angle emphasizing his importance , he is often placed in a fram within a frime and put in birght lighting. This contrasts Commmodus entirely as commodus is normally shot from a high angle shot with his faced shrowded in darkness showing his evil.
In Gladiator Commodus through killing his own father and antagonizing Rome displays Maximus’ sense of duty towards Rome, therefore without Commodus the viewer would not see this sense of duty from Maximus. Commodus is just as much key in showing sides of Maximus in the movie as Maximus is. In 300 Xerxes displays the same sense of duty that Leonidis has towards his people by trying to rule over them, without this Leonidis’s
loyalty to his people would be unchallenged therefore go unnoticed in the film making him appear as just an ordinary leader.
Commodus in betraying his father; the senate and all of Rome with his delusions of grandeur once again improved the stature of an epic hero at which Maximus stands through Commodus ultimate betrayal Maximus is put in a situation that requires him to show his loyalty as the epic hero.
Commodus is the polar opposite of Maximus thus if Commodus Betrays the people of Rome and his father in so doing we expect Maximus to show his ultimate loyalty and he does just this and fights for all whom have been wronged. In 300 Leonidis is betrayed by a former Spartan soldier whom is rejected for his inability to stand properly as he cannot defend himself properly, due to this betrayal Maximus is forced to show his ultimate loyalty to his people and dies defending
them.
In the Epic film Genre the hero dies in defending what he believes in showing his selflessness and to the extent in which he believes in his cause. Commodus sets the final death scene up; throughout the movie with all his misdeeds he creates the pathway towards this for Maximus as well as creating the value behind this death. Maximus having overcome all these odds making it as far as he did only allowing himself to die once he had completed his task made his death for his values extremely important, a death that he welcomed so that he could see his family again in the afterlife. In 300 Leonidis dies for what he believes in which is the ultimate sacrifice that one can make for his or he beliefs however this opportunity to display this amazing courage as and gift to any Spartan warrior would not have happened if Xerxes did not challenge Leonidiss beliefs thus without Xerxes Leonidis would not be able to do this and show his utmost devotion to his cause. Leonidis men also devote their lives to the Spartan cause and in helping Leonidis at the battle lost their lives showing the extent to which they are heros to.
In conclusion through the entirety of the epic films 300 and Gladiator the antagonist clearly is the fuel that makes the protagonist shine brightly both Commodus and Xerxes create the opportunities for these heros to show how involved they are with their causes and make their individual greatness show therefore the epic movie requires the hero to be great and a powerfull antagonist to help display this.