Hey Chud, this actually my first post here, though Ive been a reader/lurker for many years.
Anyway, this just dawned on me and I wanted to share it with you guys. Was watching 'The Running Man' in the background while at work (IT) and noticed that pretty much all the plot points are basically the same as 'Gladiator'....
1. Hero guy ordered by totalitarian superiors to be a party to their murderous regime, refuses, is turned on by his own men, sent to prison, considered an enemy of the state.
2. Once great nation held hostage by police state, live human combat is now the opiate of the masses.
3. the Gladiators/runners/stalkers are basically pawns of the network/state to keep people interested and satiate bloodlust to keep the forces of revolution at bay. Our hero is chosen because of his skill / charisma / because he's the star of the movie.
4. Female love interest is torn between safety and helping our hero.
5. Our hero is reluctant to join the cause of revolution, but gradually turns and becomes a rallying figure.
I'm only halfway through the movie (havent actually watched the whole thing in like 15 years, despite being a huge arnold fan), but these are all I have so far....
thoughts? Or maybe this is just a super obvious thing that everyone already knows and I'm late to the party.
