Gladiator

This is one of my favorite movies, it inspires me and reminds me of good principles in life.

The plot (from wikipedia):

General Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army to victory against Germanic barbarians in the year 180, ending a prolonged war and earning the esteem of the elderly Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Aurelius is dying and though he has a son, Commodus, the emperor wishes to appoint temporary leadership to Maximus, with a desire to eventually return power to the Senate. Aurelius informs Maximus of his decision and offers him time to consider. Aurelius then informs Commodus, who is heartbroken at the decision and subsequently murders his father in cold blood. Maximus realizes the truth and refuses Commodus's offer of promotion to the head of the Praetorian Guards. Commodus orders him to be arrested and executed, and soldiers are sent to murder Maximus' wife and son. Maximus escapes his execution and races home, only to stumble upon their charred and crucified bodies in the smoldering ruins of his Spanish villa. He buries his loved ones and in grief and exhaustion, and falls unconscious on their graves.

Slave traders find and take him to Zucchabar, a rugged province in North Africa. He is purchased by Proximo, the head of a local gladiator school. Distraught and consumed by nihilism over the death of his family and betrayal by his empire, Maximus initially refuses to fight, but with his formidable combat skills, he rises through the ranks and becomes a popular gladiator. During this time, he meets the Numidian gladiator Juba and Hagen, a barbarian from Germania. Juba proves himself a close friend and confidant to the grieving Maximus, allowing him to focus on the trials that lie ahead. They speak frequently of the afterlife and how Maximus will be reunited with his family in death. The recently crowned Commodus reopens the gladiatorial games in Rome to commemorate his father's death, and Proximo's company of gladiators makes the trip to Rome. Against all odds Maximus leads his motley crew to decisive victory, much to the amazement of the crowd. When Commodus descends into the arena to meet the newcomers, Maximus reveals his true identity to the stunned emperor, who almost has Maximus executed on the spot. The crowd's roaring disapproval however prompts Commodus's begrudging change of heart, and he retreats away from the Colosseum.

Commodus continues trying to kill Maximus by unbalancing the odds against him, pitting him against Tigris of Gaul, "the only undefeated champion in Roman history," in an arena surrounded by chained tigers whose handlers are told to target Maximus. After an intense battle, Maximus narrowly defeats Tigris and awaits Commodus's decision on whether he should have Tigris killed or spared. When Commodus votes for death, Maximus spares Tigris, much to the audience's approval. The event's Master of Ceremonies then dubs him the title of "Maximus the Merciful", furthering Commodus' frustration at being unable to kill or humiliate Maximus, whose popularity grows while his shrinks.

Maximus battles Tigris of Gaul. Following the fight, Maximus meets with his former servant Cicero, who reveals that the army he led during the Germanic campaign remains loyal to him. Soon after, Maximus forms a plot with Lucilla, Commodus' sister, and the senator Gracchus,to reunite with his army and return to Rome to topple Commodus by force. Commodus, however, suspects his sister of betrayal and threatens her young son, forcing her to reveal the plot. Praetorian guards immediately storm Proximo's gladiator barracks, battling the gladiators while Maximus attempts to escape. Hagen and Proximo are killed in the resulting fight, whilst Juba and the survivors are imprisoned. Maximus makes it to the city walls, but Cicero (who was waiting for him with horses) is murdered by overhead archers in an ambush and Maximus is arrested by the guards.

Concluding that legends born in the Colosseum must die in the Colosseum, Commodus challenges Maximus to a duel in front of a roaring audience. Knowing that he is the inferior swordsman, Commodus stabs Maximus's lung with a stiletto prior to entering the arena. The two exchange blows and Maximus eventually rips Commodus's sword from his hands. Commodus, unable to solicit a sword from the Praetorian guards surrounding them, pulls out a hidden stilleto. Maximus counterattacks with a series of hard punches before grabbing and slowly driving the stiletto into Commodus's neck. Commodus collapses to the ground, and the Colosseum is silent.

As he dies, Maximus sees his wife and son walking amidst endless fields of wheat. He reaches for them, but is pulled back to reality by the utterings of Quintus, asking Maximus what is to be done. Maximus orders the release of the prisoners, including Proximo's gladiators and Senator Gracchus, whom he reinstates and instructs to return Rome to a Senate-based government. Moments later, he collapses, and Lucilla rushes to his aid. Maximus reassures her that her son is safe now that Commodus is dead. Senator Gracchus and Proximo's gladiators carry Maximus's dead body out of the Colosseum. Now free, Juba buries Maximus' two small statues of his wife and son in the ground where Maximus died. He stares up wistfully at the sky and, repeating an early conversation he had with Maximus long ago in Zucchabarr, remarks: "I will see you again. But not yet. Not yet."