Well aware I’m in the minority on this, I thought the original Gladiator was a decent movie, but not necessarily a great one. It was slickly made and enjoyable, with solid performances by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, but sure as hell wasn’t Oscar worthy (well…maybe Phoenix was).
We’d been hearing rumblings of a sequel for years, but it was one of those things I assumed would would remain in development hell forever. After all, a quarter century had passed and the original didn’t really leave things open for a sequel (or God help us, a prequel).
But here we are...director Ridley Scott returning for Gladiator II, which I also assumed was because his other recent films haven't exactly set the world on fire. Since Gladiator remains one of his biggest, most beloved films, surely there’s another story to be told, no matter how contrived.
I gotta say I really enjoyed Gladiator II...more than I expected because I assumed Scott and company wouldn't rock the boat by tweaking the formula too much. And storywise, it’s very similar, this time our hero being Maximus’ son, Lucius (Paul Mescal). But as the film begins, he’s known as Hanno, returning to Rome as a conquered slave purchased by Macrinus (Denzel Washington) for gladiatorial combat. Eventually, of course, his past and considerable fighting skills become a legitimate threat to Rome's leaders.
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| "Sir...I think you dropped this." |
However, it isn’t entirely more of the same. Gladiator II is actually more plot heavy than before, with plenty of treachery, political maneuvering and several antagonists. But even though we’re occasionally required to suspend a little disbelief (sharks in the Colosseum???), it’s an interesting story, mainly because Scott’s approach is more flamboyant, often throwing caution to the wind with both the characters and the action. Sibling emperors Geta and Caracalla come across as a couple of mini-Caligulas, but it’s ultimately Macrinus who fascinates us and Washington looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun playing a bad guy once again (a really bad guy).
Pedro Pascal also shines in a more grounded performance as Acacias, the emperors’ conflicted general and husband of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, returning as Lucius’ mother). Conversely, Mescal does what he can with Lucius, who is never as compelling as Maximus was and is more of a plot device than a dynamic character. It’s soon obvious the film is far more infatuated with its villains than its heroes. And that’s okay, because Gladiator II serves up some doozies.
There’s plenty of action, fighting and bloodshed, presented with an over-the-top zeal that occasionally borders on ridiculous (but still pretty rousing). And aside from some obvious CGI, the film is always aesthetically striking…though I do miss Hans Zimmer’s haunting score, which provided much of the original’s emotional heft. A bit crazier and campier, Gladiator II is nevertheless a fun belated sequel that's better than I once assumed it would be.
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FEATURETTES - A Dream That was Rome: Origins features director Ridley Scott and others discussing how they came up with a sequel; What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity: The Cast includes on-set footage and Scott discussing the cast choices; In the Arena: Filmmakers focuses on the crew; For Those About to Die, We Salute You: Combat covers fight choreography and stunts; Building an Empire: Post-Production covers the sound, special effects and Harry Gregson-Williams’ score; The Making of Gladiator II.
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