By 
A SEQUEL THAT CAN’T MATCH ITS
OWN LEGACY GREATNESS
Released back in 2000, the world was certainly “entertained” by the highly captivating and cinematic tale of Ancient Rome in the movie Gladiator. Directed by Ridely Scott, the film, which starred Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris, follows the story of Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is betrayed when Commodus, the scheming son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. With his family killed and reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the arena, determined to exact revenge against Commodus and to free Rome from tyrannical oppression. Inspired by old Hollywood epics of yesteryear and 1958 Daniel P. Mannix’s novel titled “Those About to Die”, Gladiator became a critical and commercial success, winning the crowd of moviegoers and critics alike, with many praising the feature for its direction, script, story, action, presentation, score, and cast. The film grossed over $465.5 million at the box office worldwide against a production budget of $103 million, becoming the second highest-grossing film in 2000. In addition, the movie went onto become a major hit during the award season, including winning five Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (Crowe), Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, and Best Costume Designs as well as winning two Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Original Score. Now, roughly twenty-four years since its initial release, Paramount Pictures and director Ridley Scott present the long-awaited sequel to Gladiator that is appropriately titled Gladiator II. Does this belated legacy sequel find room to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to the original 2000 film or does it languish too much within the tall shadows of its masterful predecessor?
THE STORY
Following the deaths of both Commodus and Maximus, Lucius (Paul Mescal) was whisked away from Rome, with his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) fearing that his life would be in danger due to his lineage of heir to the Rome empire. Years have passed since then as the dream of Marcus Aurelias that Maximus died for has vanished, with the presiding twin Emperor rulers, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) neglecting the populace with greed, power, and vain idolization; finding Rome on the verge of collapsing. On the outskirts of the empire’s control, Lucius has made himself away from prying, a leader committed to defend his North African city-state from Roman conquerors, led by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal). He’s unable to prevent the massive army from claiming ownership of the land as well as losing his wife, who’s killed by the enemy during the invasion. Sold into slavery, Lucius finds his way to being purchased by one Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a charismatic gladiatorial trainer who finds an interest in the raging man, celebrating his raw talent skills as a fighter while preparing him to take his warrior prowess to the Roman colosseum. With vapid and vain acts of the two Emperors gradually unravelling Roman society, Macrinus is looking for a chance to feed his unquenchable hungry for ambition, utilizing Lucius’s skills to win a seat at the table of power. However, the gladiator isn’t interested in fame or glory, setting his sights on revenge against Acacius, who’s grown weary of his duty, working with Lucilla on plan to overthrow Geta and Caracalla, hoping to restore peace and order to Rome. All the threads of these players weave and intertwine with one another, with each one inching ever closer to their ultimate goals and setting them all on a collision course that will either save Rome or let it fall into ruin.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
I won’t go into a full-on detail in my personal opinion on the movie as I did do a cinematic flashback review for the movie a weeks ago (LINK HERE), but I will mention a few things about it. There is no denying that popular impact that 2000’s Gladiator had on everyone on the movie industry. It showcased that moviegoers had an appetite for big and grand historical epics that Hollywood use to produce, with director Ridley Scott visioning a grand tale of revenge and power that was set within Ancient Rome. It definitely was quite an ambitious project and some might even say a gamble, especially with its large production budget price tag. However, such ambitions bore the fruits of success, with Gladiator becoming an instant classic amongst moviegoers and critics alike and has remained so for more than two decades. As I mentioned in my review for it, I personally loved this and occasionally watch every now and again. It truly is a timeless masterpiece that, despite being almost twenty-four years (as of this review), it still genuinely holds up, even when comparing to today’s modern blockbuster. The story is also incredible, tightly woven together that has plenty to offer as both as action “sword and sandals” feature as well as a period drama piece. Plus, the dialogue in the movie is phenomenal and has always some of the most quotable lines that many still say every now and again. Additionally, the acting in the film was top notch, with Crowe and Phoenix demonstrating some of their best work as both hero and villain in the story, with a terrific supporting cast. And then, the music ….so epic and powerful….and moving. Probably one of my favorite movie soundtracks of all time. I could go on and on, but suffice to say that Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is truly a great movie and remains to be so, encapsulating a very relatable and human tale with the backdrop of Rome’s Ancient World as its primary cinematic sandbox. Again, a timeless masterpiece if ever I’ve seeing one….and I think that many will agree.
Naturally, this brings me back to talking about Gladiator II, a 2024 historical epic / action film and the long-awaited sequel to 2000’s Gladiator. Given the incredible amount of success and popularity that was praised for the original film, many clamored for the idea of a possible sequel to Gladiator, with Scott tossing around the idea for many years. Like all such notions, there were plenty of rumors here and there throughout the years following Gladiator’s release. Whether or not Ridley Scott would be coming back to direct? Would it be a prequel? Would Russell Crowe come back (in some shape or form)? There was a lot of other questions thrown around, but, after so many years, nothing really ever materialized, especially when DreamWorks was eventually sold to Paramount Pictures in 2006. Then, almost a decade later, Scott officially announced the project and would be coming out in 2024. Soon after the film’s cast was announced, with a few familiar names appearing (Pascal, Nielsen, Washington) as well as a few that I was unfamiliar with (Mescal, Quinn, and Hechinger). After that, I really didn’t hear much about when the film was in production and only really got a “real taste” for this sequel when the movie’s marketing campaign began to appear with various previews and promos. From the trailers alone, it did look that the film was trying to recapture the same type of cinematic energy and magic that the 2000 picture emulated and did so from what I saw in those previews, with plenty of gladiatorial action scenes and harkening back to the first film (presumably the main character being Lucius).
Still, I was a little bit leery about this particular sequel because of the first Gladiator (as mentioned) was widely considered a masterpiece and was really a “one and done” type movie that didn’t warrant / need a potential follow-up feature. Plus, as many know, a sequel rarely surpasses the original film. Thus, my lingering doubt about this movie persisted. However….what’s that old saying “hoping for the best, but expecting the worst” from this movie, yet I was still quite curious see it. So, I did see Gladiator II during its opening weekend and (after getting my reviews done for Wicked and Moana 2), I am ready share my personal thoughts on this long-awaited sequel. And what did I think of it? Well, it was just okay, but more of the disappointing side a few times. Despite its attempts in updated filmmaking, action, and several character / actors, Gladiator II can’t match or outpace the legacy that the original film was able to cultivate; finding this sequel to be merely adequate in its stance and standing in the shadows of its predecessor’s greatness. It’s technically a bad or poorly made movie as it is still entertaining enough, but seems like a sequel that no one asked for, especially when comparing the first film.
As mentioned, Gladiator II is directed by Ridely Scott, who previously directed the first Gladiator film as well as other prominent / famous movies such as Alien, Black Hawk Down, and Blade Runner. Scott has struggled over the past recent years, with his feature film endeavors having mixed results with his fans, critics, and moviegoers alike, with many citing that the director has “lost his touch” and producing the same type of memorable films that he use to create. Thus, returning to one of his most beloved and memorable cinematic tales is quite the attempt to recapture his “old glories” of moviemaking, especially with Gladiator. As stated, the road for getting this particular sequel project off the ground has been quite the exhausted journey, but Scott still manages to pull off by returning his big historical epic. As expected, Scott approaches this new movie with the same type of energy of that he crafted in the first one, making sure that fans of Gladiator will be enticed and excited to see this legacy sequel. Naturally, I’m talking about the action scenes, with Scott, who is quite the visual director in these types of sequences, does shine through with some intense and creative filmmaking skills that are brought to life with plenty of vim and vigor. Many of the various gladiatorial scenes are captured quite well and gives off a sense of thrills within their combat scenes. Swords, shield, spears, and just overall brawling…. all feel genuine and authenticity and are executed well, staging events in a very choregraphed way. Plus, the big “naval battle” scene in the Colosseum was quite exciting to see fully realized and definitely one of the more highlighted moments of these action stunts. While the movie may have some problems and criticisms towards its undertaking and execution, there is no denying that Gladiator II is boring, with Scott always keeping the feature light on its toes with always something to see and to do within its variety of scenes of characters, story progression, and action sequences. Thus, the movie does provide some decent flavoring of movie entertainment distraction, which is a good thing.
Of course, it’s not all about action scenes as a story needs to take place and be the driven force for the feature’s narrative. Scott certainly establishes that presence in the movie, with Gladiator II having a bit of mixture of old and new elements that are woven together to make up the main bulk narrative being told. There is no doubting that Scott (as well as the writers) took many influences of the story from the first Gladiator film and incorporated it this new film, especially when examining the revenge story arc and the potential of disposing Rome’s leadership authority. This, of course, is a very “double edge sword” tactic in storytelling (more on that below), but, for the positives, it does keep the tale familiar enough that it won’t alienate longtime fans and (again) gives moviegoers that similar taste of what made the first film enjoyable and entertaining. Naturally, there is more time with the political motivations and maneuvering than in the original movie, with Scott showcasing more on the Senate the intrigue the happens with the Imperial court, which does offer some new flavoring beyond the gladiatorial arenas. Yet, Scott still keeps a pulse on the main character (Lucius), who fights his own battle in and out of the Colosseum as he has to come to terms with his own past, while confronting what is unfolding around him in the present. Plus, I do have to give credit to Scott (and the writers) for making the movie feel a tad bit more ambitious, with the various narrative threads being intertwined in all the characters that are presented in the story. It does get a messy at times (more on that below), but the intent is there, and I appreciate that the movie is trying to be a bit more expansive in its storytelling and the various players that come and go throughout the plot. Thus, in the end, despite some pitfalls, I think Scott did a somewhat decent job in returning to his vision of Ancient Rome, with Gladiator II flexing its cinematic muscles within its action scenes and acts as a sort of “comfort food” as to what many were sort of hoping the project to be in this historical epic sequel….for better or worse.
For its presentation, Gladiator II does seem to capture the same type of grandiosity in both scale and scope of that the first film and it’s all for the better of it. While the similarities between the two features will undoubtedly be compared, the presentation for this sequel seems to be on par (if not a little bit more) to the previous one, especially when considering more updated filmmaking techniques and production designs. Scott showed that 2000’s Gladiator was able to replicate the old “glory days” of Hollywood epics that required vast and large sets, beautifully detailed costumes, and a sweeping historical backdrop. Thankfully, Scott retains all of those notions and fundamental in shaping Gladiator II and keeps all of that large scope intact, envisioning the same type of grand imagery for the Ancient World of Rome and all of its province that’s feel both romancing the era period, yet also keeps it grounded in realism, which results in a rather cinematic quality that definitely works. From the gilded halls and chambers of the Imperial Court for the Emperors to the shadowy and dungy rooms underneath the gladiatorial arena, every set pieces (exterior and interior), every costume wardrobe attire, and all decorations and garlands look and feel real and are intricately displayed with gleaming movie quality fashion that works and brings this movie world to life. Thus, the film’s “behind the scenes” main players, including Arthur Max (production design), Elli Griff and Jille Azis (set decorations), David Crossman and Janty Yates (costume designs) as well as the entire art direction department and hair / makeup team for their efforts in bringing this historical epic to life, with some being veteran from the first Gladiator picture to lend their expertise once again (an idea that I love).
Additionally, I felt that the sound editing / mixing team should also be praised for their work on this movie. To me, the dialogue felt crisp, and I could hear it well as well as the various sound design effects of swords clashing, crowd cheering, and various yells all felt rumbunctious and well-drawn out the correct way; resulting in a rather bombastic sound design and editing that truly does come alive on screen. Strangely, the cinematography work by John Mathieson, who worked on the original Gladiator movie, seems a “meh” in my opinion and doesn’t come alive the same way as it did in the 2000 feature. True, Mathieson work this sequel does have its merits here and there, but doesn’t have that sweeping cinematic air about such dynamic shots and angles that were extremely prevalent in the previous movie, which is disappointing. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Harry Gregson-Willams, was just serviceable and okay throughout. I know that that sentence makes it so kind of bad, which it isn’t as Gregson-Willams’s musical composition gets the job done for such blockbuster style endeavor and does drive home some dramatic moments the correct way. Yet, it does feel underwhelming at times, especially when comparing Hans Zimmer’s score from the first film. I mean, I was little bit excited that Gregson-Williams was going to score Gladiator II, especially since he did a fantastic job for movies like Kingdom of Heaven, The Town, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but his music for this movie never reaches the same exact way as it did with those pictures, which (again) is a disappointing.
Unfortunately, Gladiator II, for all of its anticipation and marketing hype, isn’t what it’s all cracked up to be, with the feature have some looming criticisms within its undertaking and execution, especially when compared to its original counterpart. This, of course, leads me into talking about the main problem that I had with the sequel, which is its existence. In essence, Gladiator, as mentioned before, was a great and cinematic masterpiece that really was able to stand on its own and didn’t need to have a franchise built around it. It solved everything, it concluded everything, and close out an historical epic story in a memorable and sweeping fashion. Thus, the big question of reopening Gladiator’s movie world for a sequel seems a bit odd and (as stated previously) needed to be a strong reason to revisit this property once again. The justification of such a task is tried and pleaded throughout the entire run of Gladiator II, but such a justification isn’t exactly warranted. For better or worse, the film tries to emulate what was Top Gun: Maverick was able to achieve by revisiting a very well-known / popular “one and done” movie and trying to reinvent it for a modern audience. However, while Top Gun: Maverick found high success and critical praise from moviegoers and critics alike for its intense aerial action scenes and charismatic cast, Gladiator II can’t find that and ends up being a rather middling legacy sequel, especially when considering the original film in how many still look upon the 2000 masterpiece. Basically, the film, for all tense and purposes, cannot reach the same cinematic highs that the first Gladiator picture was able to reach. And I do mean everything….. the story, the characters, the action-battles, the build ups, the momentum, and even the climax and overall conclusion feels subpar as if it’s trying reach out to Gladiator’s greatness that’s always just out of reach. It’s a perplexing notion that becomes quite apparent from the get-go, which creates a rather frustrating viewing experience that some might consider troublesome and tarnishing the name of 2000’s Gladiator.
Yet, I do understand most people who always compare and judge the two Gladiator movies side-by-side for a multitude of reasons, and it is quite hard to not keeping talking about the first movie when examining this one.
Further examination into Gladiator II’s undertaking showcases how bloated the film is and how it has a hard time in balancing everything properly. Of course, I am talking about the feature’s script, which was penned by David Scarpa and Peter Craig, which does seem to recycle a lot of familiar beats and storytelling elements from the first film. I sort of knew that this was going to be the case going into this movie and expected it to be one of the feature’s pitfalls that was kind of almost like a necessity. Still, the fact of the matter, is that the Gladiator II does seem too predictable within its script undertaking by retreading a lot of familiar plot beats, including a similar revenge setup arc for the main character as well as few other character influences. Again, I knew that this was going to be the case, yet I still wanted to see a bit more ingenuity in the main plot for the main character. Another big problem that the movie has to offer, which is a bit perplexing at times, is that the narrative being told seems to be spilt far too much on other side stories and characters, causing an unfocused tale to be told. Naturally, I’m talking more about the political intrigue, which does start to take more precedent in the camera spotlight in the latter half of the feature, which takes away from Lucius’s journey, the gladiatorial arenas, and (of course) the film’s namesake. There is no doubt about it that political intrigue can be appealing, especially when examining the Rome Empire, but (again) it distracts too much for the main plot, with all sides feeling a bit lopsided and half-baked to a certain degree; neither one being fully developed properly. This then creates a rather bloated runtime, with the feature clocking in at around 148 minutes (two hours and twenty-eight minutes) and having too much to do and say with its allotted presentation with no clear winner. Thus, I believe that the script should’ve been reworked and revamped in a better way that could’ve incorporated the two ideas into a more harmonious way. Plus, I felt that the written dialogue itself for the movie was just okay, but nothing grand or flowery memorable like in the first one. The end result is Gladiator II’s script needed to be ironed out more and brought back to its drawing board, with an all too familiar revenge plot at times that clashes too abrasively against political maneuvering, with neither one benefiting from it.
From a director’s standpoint, Scott’s ambition for such a highly anticipated sequel to one of his most famous movies does offer some problematic areas, including the director’s decision as highlighted above. It’s quite clear that Scott wants to invest a lot of screen time for the character of Macrinus and the political power plays that are at work beyond the Colosseum arena, yet those moments feel like a different movie altogether, as if he had two ideas for two different Ancient Roman movies and combined them. Again, this creates a rather unfocused narrative and presentation being told, with Scott seemingly have difficulty of trying to balance Lucius’s tale of revenge and gladiatorial fights and Macrinus’s tale of power and his dealings with the two Roman Emperors / Imperial Court. To me, Gladiator II isn’t as tightly focus nor woven as it was from the original film, with Scott trying to do too many things and ideas with the sequel and coming up short.
This sort of combination leads into more of a lackluster climax moment in the third act. The first Gladiator had a great build up to that particular moment and felt earned, which was then swiftly aided up the emotional resolution and closing moments of the movie. Given the nature of inconsistent balance of characters and story, Scott and his team struggle to land a proper third act finale the correct way and does not have the same type of tension, thrills, and emotional impact as was properly intended to be. It feels very lackluster and underwhelming final confrontation that, while thematic display, can’t resonate the way that I was hoping for as I’m sure audiences will probably feel the same way. Even the closing moments don’t feel earned the right way and lack the emotional punch of satisfaction that the original film was able to achieve. It’s really disappointing because such a climatic point should be rousing, grandiose, and have a certain feeling to it. What’s presented in Gladiator II is just sufficient enough….and that’s not good thing.
Lastly, while I do praise some of the feature’s visual effects and aiding some of the more fantastical and expansive moments, there are several moments where the movie struggles is in his some of those particular moments. Yes, despite its heft production budget, the movie does have some glaring moments where the film’s visual effects dip in quality and look too obviously green screen fake. It’s not for a lack of trying and I know some pictures have those one or two scenes that are bit too obvious, but in such a high-profile production like this, it sort of took me out of the excitement and tension, with such blatantly fake computer-generated sequences. Not a complete deal breaker, but still quite noticeable.
The cast in Gladiator II has some pretty familiar names attached to the project with most (if not all) are clearly having fun being a part of a movie’s production, regardless of if they are in lead, supporting, or minor roles. Of course, many of the cast are up to the task to play these characters, with some being elevated by their screen presence. However, the character themselves does seem a bit “cookie cutter” at times and / or feel a bit too similar to certain players from the first Gladiator. This is where the script fails the most in, with a multitude of characters that come in and out of the story being told, yet lack the sufficient time to be expanded upon and / or fully developed the correct way within the screen time allotted to them. Thus, many of the characters feel rather stock-like or too conventional in a surface level examination.
Leading the charge in the movie is actor Paul Mescal, who plays the central protagonist role of Lucis Verus Aurelius, the son of Maximus and Lucilla, and the grandson of the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Known for his roles in Normal People, Aftersun, and All of Us Strangers, Mescal is somewhat of an unknown actor, not really a “household” name that many will know his credibility from. Thus, this sort of works in his favor as it gives him a great platform to showcase his acting chops and screen presence with this feature. To that effect, Mescal does do a good job in providing plenty of theatricality within his portrayal of Lucius throughout. He definitely holds his own in the film and is clearly capable of being a leading man. It’s also apparent that he’s not the curious and kind-hearted boy that he was in the first film, with the time spent between the two films proves that his (Lucius) heart as been hardened against Rome, his mother, and the ideals of what the empire stands for. This, of course, makes for a compelling character as we (the viewers) follow him on his journey of vengeance and redemption. In addition, Mescal does do a great job in the action scenes, creating a very visceral and steely demeanor in the similar veins of what Russell Crowe was able to convey with Maximus in the first movie. The problem is that he (as a character) is too formulaic at times as the script tries a bit too hard to drive home the point that Maximus was his father and that he has to follow his father’s footsteps. The conflict of such parental linage dilemma is interesting, yet something about it feels hollow at times. This is also aided by the multiple characters that the movie tries to focus on a bit too much and results in Lucius sort of becoming more of a background character in his own movie, which he is supposed to be the leading role. Thus, Mescal is perfect fine as Lucius, but, while his character provides some interesting aspects as the adult iteration of Lucius, there is something a bit redundant and hollow that fails to capture the commanding presence and “easy to root for” characteristic that made Crowe’s Maximus so endearing.
As a sidenote, actress Yuval Gonen (The Station and The Missing) plays Arishat, a skilled archer and Lucius’s wife. Due to how she is presented in the story, Gonen doesn’t have much to go on and the same thing can be said for the story for her. She’s supposed to be a driven force for Lucius, yet it feels that we (as the viewer) don’t even real know her. It would’ve been a bit more interesting to see some type of flashback scenes with the two of them in together and showing their relationship before the events of the movie. Again, the script is trying to mirror Lucius’s relationship with Maximus’s family situation in the first one and it comes off as weak and contrived.
Following Mescal, actor Pedro Pascal (Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian) takes up an interesting character role in General Acacius, a beloved general of the Roman army who trained under Maximus when he was younger. For his part, Pascal is relatively good in the role, playing up the character as very proficient and effective Roman general, yet still is quite humble being off the battlefield. He definitely has the screen presence and handles his part effectively well. It’s quite clear that the movie is trying to Acacius almost like spiritual successor to Maximus, carrying the same ideals and bravado, including his distrust of how Rome should handle by its current leaders and cares more about the people than who sits on the throne currently. Yet, despite those strong characteristics and Pascal’s performance, the character of Acacius seems almost like an afterthought at times, pushing aside to make room for other players in the story like Lucius and Macrinus. It’s frustrating because the movie literally could’ve been focused solely on him as the central protagonist as there is enough material / groundwork for him to be compelling, yet the script and narrative focus from Scott leaves him sort of hanging out the wind many of times, resulting in a strong character that has very little to do in the movie. Thus, I think he comes off as the most underserved character in the entire film.
In the villain’s category, Gladiator II sees the twin Roman Emperors of Geta and Caracalla, two brothers who co-rule the Roman Empire, and who are played by actors Joesph Quinn (Stranger Things and A Quiet Place: Day One) and Fred Hechinger (News of the World and The White Lotus) respectfully. Of the two, Quinn seems the more compelling character, portraying Geta as the one who truly holds power of the two and has clear intent as to what his aims are. In contrast, Hechinger’s Carcalla is less stable than his brother and shows more child-like / unhinged behavior in his madness. Thus, this creates an interesting dynamic between the two Roman Emperors, and, for their part, I think that Quinn and Hechinger doe a good job in playing up those inane quirks and mantra in their performances. The big problem with these two characters is that they are fully well-rounded as villains, with their tyrannical power comes off as a bit conventional at times. They are definitely not the same caliber level as to what Joaquin Phoenix did with Commodus in the first film nor as well written / in-depth as he was presented, leaving a lot to be desired within these two antagonists. I get what the script was going for them as well as Quinn and Hechinger’s performances, but it comes off as a bit too generic, lacking the dynamics and the psychological character study behavior as to what Commodus was able to achieve.
Who actually signs the absolute best in all of Gladiator II would definitely have to be actor Denzel Washington as the character of Macrinus, a former slave who has crawled his way to the thralls of Roman power and is a somewhat mentor to Lucius, who he keeps in his ownership of gladiators. Known for his roles in Man on Fire, Training Day, and The Equalizer, Washington has cultivated a very prolific career throughout his body of work in both leading roles and a few supporting ones. The seasoned and skilled actor has always demonstrated such a charismatic and powerful performance whenever he does and its always a treat to see him act in whatever character or role, he’s in. Thus, to have such a high caliber actor in this sequel was definitely I was quite interested and seeing and (as to be expected) Washington is literally the big “scene stealer” in Gladiator II. The character of Macrinus, who is loosely inspired by the historical figure Marcus Opellius Macrinus, is quite the enigmatic figure in the movie’s story. It clear that he starts out almost like an unmistakable illusion to Oliver Reed’s Proximo from the original film, especially a gladiator owner / procurer who takes in the main character and who profits from his winnings, yet he is far more ambitious than Proximo ever was and is aims look beyond the arena. Yet, who does he fight for? For Rome? For the Emperors? For Lucius? Or for himself? The ambiguity of his motives is quite alluring and one that draws you as the narrative propels forward.
Washington takes all of that into account for his portrayal of Macrinus and does a masterfully job in projecting those elements into the character. He commands every scene that he’s in and he’s quite infectious with his charisma and acting presence, regardless of who he interact with. It’s definitely electrifying to see Washington act in such a meaty role and I loved him as Macrinus. Perhaps the only downside to his character is that he sort of becomes a little bit of distraction at times, with a lot of screen time being allotted to him…. more so than Mescal’s Lucius does. I mean, it’s great to see Washington in the role, but it’s quite clear that Scott is focusing too much on Macrinus and not on Lucius, which results in a conflicting interest on the feature’s main focus. It’s almost like Scott should’ve done a whole entire movie solely on Macrinus and not so much on a sequel to Gladiator. The end result is a truly fascinating character and a commanding performance from Washington, but a rather too much focus on him instead of main leads. Again, it frustrating because you want more of him, but you know the focus should be elsewhere. Still, ask anyone who saw this movie and they’ll tell you (regardless of what they think of it) that Washington’s Macrinus was the best character in the film.
Returning from the original Gladiator cast is actress Connie Nielsen (Basic and Wonder Woman) as Lucilla, Lucius’s mother, Maximus’s former lover, the daughter of the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and now romance companion to General Acacius. Nielsen does a good job in easily sliding back into the role of Lucilla and do a great job in all of her scenes that she is in. Her involvement in Gladiator II is more than what I expected her to be, which is a good thing, yet it still not quite as a good as the scenes she had with Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix from the first Gladiator feature. Still, for better or worse, it was good to see Nielsen as Lucilla again. Likewise, actor Derek Jacobi (Gosford Park and Hamlet) also returns to reprise his Gladiator role as Senator Gracchus, a member of Roman Senate who opposes the growing corruption of Rome’s leadership. Jacobi is quite the skilled actor and just seeing back as Gracchus was such a delightful treat. However, it’s almost like a gratuitous cameo for continuity reason as he was less to do in this movie as it he did in the original, which is a pity.
The rest of the cast, including actor Lior Raz (Fauda and Scarred) as gladiator trainer for Macrinus named Viggo, actor Alexander Karim (Dying of the Light and The Dog) as a former gladiator / doctor to wounded combatants in the arena called Ravi, actor Tim McInnerny (Game of Thrones and Outlander) as corrupt member of the Roman Senate Senator Tharex, actor Rory McCann (Game of Thrones and Alexander) as leader of the Praetorian Guard named Tegula, actor Alec Utgoff (San Andreas and Stranger Things) as Acacius’s second-in-command Darius, actor Richard McCabe (Eye in the Sky and Notting Hill) as Quaestor, actor Yann Gael (The French Dream and Saloun) as Bostar, actress Riana Duce (Napoleon and The Good Book) as Hyacinthia, actor Peter Mensah (300 and Spartacus) as African chieftain Jugurtha, and actor Matt Lucas (Little Britan and Doctor Who) as the unnamed Colosseum’s “master of ceremonies” announcer, round out the remaining players in the film as either supporting roles or minor supporting character. While some are merely there in minor capacity (by design), some these characters are offered a bit more screen time, yet the movie never gives them to proper develop the right way, resulting in them having a lot of time on-screen, yet never fully going further beyond their initial setup. Heck, some of them I really didn’t even know their character names until I started doing research for this review.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Sold into slavery and seeking revenge for the death of his wife, Lucius fights onward in the gladiatorial arenas, inching ever closer to Rome’s Colosseum and unknowingly becoming entangled in a political seize of power in the movie Gladiator II. Director Ridley Scott’s latest film sees the long-awaited sequel to his widely popular 2000 historical epic film and expanding upon the narrative with old familiar characters returning as well as new players in this continuation tale of power and revenge. While the movie finds familiar territory with the grandiose tale of Ancient World intrigue, its beautiful presentation layout, well-paced action scenes, and a commanding performance from Washington, the film struggles in some crucial areas, including a bloated and overstuffed narrative, too many similarities to its original, questionable decisions from the director, a lackluster finale, and some wonky CGI effects. Personally, I thought that this movie was just okay. It definitely had some interesting moments and was indeed entertaining for what it was worth. Plus, seeing Washington in the movie was truly electrifying from start to finish (I cannot stop singing his praises). However, the movie just felt subpar in almost every aspect, especially when comparing this sequel to the masterful epic of the 2000 original. As the saying goes “it’s hard to improve upon perfection” and Gladiator II doesn’t really improve on what the first Gladiator was able to achieve. It’s a belated legacy sequel that had a lot of potential, anticipation, and inherit hype placed on it and it only makes a lukewarm splash. At the end of the day, it is just okay (plain and simple) and does hold some distraction entertainment, but never really outshining or matching its predecessor, which can be frustrating. Thus, my recommendation for this movie would have wavy “iffy choice” as some might like it a bit more than me, while others will probably agree with me and have more criticisms towards this sequel. It’s one of the movies that will be divided amongst moviegoers, but all will agree that it doesn’t surpass original Gladiator, which I will stick to mostly watching over this film. There has been rumors of Scott wanting to continue forward with Gladiator III (capping the narrative off as a trilogy), but, given my personal views on this movie, I’m not much in favor of this notion. In conclusion, Gladiator II gets somethings right within its entertainment in a return to this “sword and sandals” epic blockbuster narrative yet struggles to fully measure up against its own’s legacy greatness.
3.3 Out of 5 (Iffy Choice)
The Official Website for Gladiator II Link: HERE
Released On: November 22nd, 2024
Reviewed On: December 13th, 2024
Gladiator II is 148 minutes long and is rated R for strong bloody violence
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