Gladiator II Review
Ridley Scott returns to direct ‘Gladiator II’, a stunning sequel to the 2000 ‘Gladiator’. It’s full of amazing action and largely stunning performances from a large leading cast, resulting in a delightful caper. While its story hues a little too closely to the original ‘Gladiator’ while only making things bigger, there are some interesting developments that Scott employs to try to get the film to stand apart.
Fronted by Paul Mescal as Lucius/Hanno, ‘Gladiator II’ boasts a compelling cast with Pedro Pascal as weary General Marcus Acacius, Connie Nelson as an older Lucilla, and Denzel Washington as the scheming Macrinus. The two emperors, Emperor Geta, played by Joseph Quinn, and Emperor Caracalla, played by Fred Hechinger, are far too over the top for the serious film that ‘Gladiator II’ is, with both of their performances feeling much more at home in a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s difficult to take them seriously, though they’re at least not the chief antagonists, which makes them slightly more tolerable.
The plot isn’t unfortunately something that stands out in a meaningful way. Scott resets the status quo after Maximus’ death in the first film, wih the double Emperors who want nothing but for Rome to expand and who don’t care a single drop about the needs of their people. It’s a shame this is the case, as all Scott does with this is a rehash. The Emperor’s top General, Acacius, is tired of war and so joins Lucilla and other Roman senators plot to remove the Emperors. This all plays out similarly to the first ‘Gladiator’ film, though there is some bits that set it apart. The General isn’t the one who becomes the Gladiator, it’s Lucius, who’s captured after a Roman invasion. Though his journey through the ranks does feel like Maximus’, after being cast out of his society, he’s forced to work with a shady businessman and win public favour in the Colosseum, again like Maximus.
Where the film manages to differ itself is what makes it unique. Lucius and Macrinus have a slightly antagonistic relationship with one another, which isn’t what Maximus experienced with Proximo. Macrinus is also far more power hungry and scheming, wanting to set light to Rome from the inside. It makes him a surprising antagonist, and with Washington’s stern and grounded performance, it works. The aforementioned antagonistic relationship the film builds up between Macrinus and Lucius also makes their final confrontation satisfying, especially when Rome is on the brink.
If there’s one thing this film excels at, it’s spectacle.The opening of the film hooks audiences right away with a stunning invasion sequence, with that continuing into the Colosseum as the fights grow more and more intense. Audiences will be gripping the edge of their seat and leaning evermore forward as the film continues, with Scott driving up the stakes – emotional, physical, and both, with each passing beat. And because this element is held up with mostly compelling CGI, along with characters that have something to them. It’s something this franchise was known for back in 2000, and that can continue.
The CGI largely supports this too, as it’s extremely impressive, whether it’s the opening naval conflict or the biggest fight in the Colosseum, where it was flooded to allow for a naval skirmish. It’s something that is a feat to behold. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t glaring issues. There is a sequence relatively early on that’s a complete eyesore, when Hanno is forced to fight baboons. However, these baboons are not convincing in the slightest, looking like terrible demon dogs. It’s surprising this didn’t get a second pass.
So while it’s by no means perfect, ‘Gladiator II’ is an overall successful continuation of the franchise, managing to entertain audiences with stunning sequences. While the plot is something that’s left to be desired, the relationship between Lucius and Macrinus does lead to a satisfying conclusion. Hopefully Scott won’t reset this if he decides to do a third film in the franchise. The plot needs to evolve to catch up with the modern action and techniques, not be stuck 24 years in the past.
