Ridley Scott is back. After a few misfires and exemplary average films, Ridley Scott makes a grand return to the big screens with a massive blockbuster that will surely perform at the box office. It is difficult to predict for certain how much money the film will make, but considering its nature as a legacy sequel, its cast of well-known stars, and its prime release date, it will see enough success to get Ridley’s other upcoming projects off the ground.
Gladiator II follows Lucius Versus (Paul Mescal), son of Lucilla (Connie Neilson) and prince of Rome, although he does not accept either of those identities. Lucius lives in Numbia avoiding the tyranny of the Roman Empire until his new home is attacked by the very entity he strives to avoid, resulting in the loss of his wife, homeland, and freedom. Assumed to be a regular citizen of Numbia– and not the prince of Rome– Lucius is taken to become a gladiator. Gladiator trainer, Macrinus (Denzel Washington) sees the rage within Lucius and strikes a deal with him of vengeance in return for the spectacle. Unbeknownst to Lucius, he is now caught in competitive plots to overthrow the tyrannic rulers Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).
While Gladiator II is a sequel, it is difficult to compare the two films in a way that does both of them justice. Gladiator II takes the scale of Gladiator and multiplies it by ten, however, it is being released into a world so different from the original’s release date of May 2000. With Hollywood’s newfound love for IP and expanding worlds and stories, it is difficult to keep the story as small and careful as the first Gladiator. With that being said, Gladiator II still attempts to balance the over-the-top set pieces and the characters’ conflicts. The scales of balance waver in favor of excessive action because of the advancements in CGI since 2000. This results in additional gore and outrageous battles in Gladiator II which seem to be covered by shaky cam and quick cuts in Gladiator.
Perhaps the over-the-top gore and brutality is a commentary on spectacle, saying how the audience is no better than the Colosseum attendees, or maybe Ridley Scott just really likes naval battles in the Colosseum with sharks, catapults, and fire. Either way, Gladiator II is not solely focused on the action but also highlights several compelling moments between the relationship between Lucius, Lucilla, and her new husband Acacius (Pedro Pascal) amidst a plot to cause great upheaval in Rome.
The real star of the show here is Denzel Washington as Macrinus. He is truly the one who brings something entirely new to film, separating it from the first completely. Macrinus is a character of questionable intent, it is never clear whether he should be trusted or not and Denzel hits this portrayal out of the park. It is difficult to place stars like Paul Mescal up against Denzel Washington and expect them to be on similar levels which is another weak link of the movie. Washington out-acts everyone. Mescal channels the rage-filled protagonist to his best ability, Pascal creates a character sympathetic to Lucuis, and Hechinger and Quinn find a balance between outright craziness and intimidation, but Washington truly steals the show.
Gladiator II follows Lucius Versus (Paul Mescal), son of Lucilla (Connie Neilson) and prince of Rome, although he does not accept either of those identities. Lucius lives in Numbia avoiding the tyranny of the Roman Empire until his new home is attacked by the very entity he strives to avoid, resulting in the loss of his wife, homeland, and freedom. Assumed to be a regular citizen of Numbia– and not the prince of Rome– Lucius is taken to become a gladiator. Gladiator trainer, Macrinus (Denzel Washington) sees the rage within Lucius and strikes a deal with him of vengeance in return for the spectacle. Unbeknownst to Lucius, he is now caught in competitive plots to overthrow the tyrannic rulers Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).
While Gladiator II is a sequel, it is difficult to compare the two films in a way that does both of them justice. Gladiator II takes the scale of Gladiator and multiplies it by ten, however, it is being released into a world so different from the original’s release date of May 2000. With Hollywood’s newfound love for IP and expanding worlds and stories, it is difficult to keep the story as small and careful as the first Gladiator. With that being said, Gladiator II still attempts to balance the over-the-top set pieces and the characters’ conflicts. The scales of balance waver in favor of excessive action because of the advancements in CGI since 2000. This results in additional gore and outrageous battles in Gladiator II which seem to be covered by shaky cam and quick cuts in Gladiator.
Perhaps the over-the-top gore and brutality is a commentary on spectacle, saying how the audience is no better than the Colosseum attendees, or maybe Ridley Scott just really likes naval battles in the Colosseum with sharks, catapults, and fire. Either way, Gladiator II is not solely focused on the action but also highlights several compelling moments between the relationship between Lucius, Lucilla, and her new husband Acacius (Pedro Pascal) amidst a plot to cause great upheaval in Rome.
The real star of the show here is Denzel Washington as Macrinus. He is truly the one who brings something entirely new to film, separating it from the first completely. Macrinus is a character of questionable intent, it is never clear whether he should be trusted or not and Denzel hits this portrayal out of the park. It is difficult to place stars like Paul Mescal up against Denzel Washington and expect them to be on similar levels which is another weak link of the movie. Washington out-acts everyone. Mescal channels the rage-filled protagonist to his best ability, Pascal creates a character sympathetic to Lucuis, and Hechinger and Quinn find a balance between outright craziness and intimidation, but Washington truly steals the show.
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