Gladiator II continues the story of the struggle for power over ancient Rome. Sixteen years have passed since the slave Maximus (Russell Crowe) stood up to corruption. His vanquishing of the then-emperor left a vacuum symbolized by an empty throne. In his place, two new rulers have ascended: Geta (Joseph Quinn) and his brother Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Much like their predecessor, they yearn for conquest and spectacle. As such, they’ve sent their top general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) to Africa on a mission of invasion. During battle, he captures a mysterious soldier going by the name Hanno (Paul Mescal). When the ambitious Macrinus (Denzel Washington) purchases Hanno as a gladiator, the two devise a scheme to exact revenge together.
What works in Gladiator II are the performances and the film’s scale. All of the players involved embody their characters with charisma and charm. Washington in particular is a delight. His Macrinus slinks through the shadows, ever calculating. The energy he exudes is contagious and serves as one of the movie’s highlights. A similar review can be made for Mescal, who rises to the challenge of having big sandals to fill. Then of course, is the spectacle. As with Gladiator, director Ridley Scott once again recreates Rome in stunning fashion. The set pieces are enormous, intricate, and leveraged creatively to serve as the backdrop for the intense action and battles.
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Audiences who don’t enjoy the bloodbathian nature of sword and sandal epics are unlikely to engage with Gladiator II. Like the previous entry, the proceedings are filled with incredibly horrific murders that don’t skimp on the gore. Narratively, Gladiator II is bit a messy. At a hefty two hours and forty minutes, often the long runtime feels unnecessary. And even within that large window, character motivations are murky and certain courses of action feel forced. On top of that, Gladiator II feels comparatively less epic. It could be the pacing, it could be the score, but something holds this sequel back from reaching the emotional heights of Gladiator.
Gladiator II is a fascinating movie. Each of its individual parts are solid enough: the acting, the production design, the costumes, the action, etc. However, it lacks a clear unifying thread to keep everything together. As such, Gladiator II is entertaining in spurts when the fighting goes full throttle, but without reasons to care about the characters, it’s harder to remain invested.
Recommended if you enjoyed: Kingdom of Heaven, The Last Duel
Gladiator II is available to see in theaters beginning on November 22nd, 2024
