Added to the long list of sequels and reboots that arrived without request, Gladiator II arrives in theaters this weekend to the hurrah of very few and the chagrin of many.
Many directors of much acclaim have had flat projects this year. Francis Ford Coppola, Matthew Vaughn, and the entire Shyamalan clan are in good company now adding the likes of Ridley Scott. Is the film terrible? No, it’s actually pretty entertaining. But the biggest issue with the film is that it borders ridiculous.
If you were looking for something to follow in the legendary footsteps of the first Gladiator film, this is not it. The initial film was a success, with groundbreaking acting and memorable quotes. This film has an odd storyline featuring bizarre characters who barely stay afloat in their campy existence. Arguably the best thing about this film was Denzel Washington and his only memorable quote was, “And that’s… Poli-ticssssss”.
Years after the death of Maximus, Rome has become hellbent on conquest. After a short stand against the Roman empire, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is captured and taken back to Rome. There, he learns that the only way for a prisoner to gain their freedom is to win in the Colosseum. After impressing high company during his first match, he’s approached by a man named Macrinus (Denzel Washington) who’s willing to make a deal with him. With lofty desires in mind, the two continue their transactional relationship until an ulterior motive is revealed.
Paul Mescal was a very odd casting for Lucius. For someone who’s supposed to be the main character, he’s outplayed by both Denzel and Pedro Pascal, who plays Marcus Acacius. Both Pascal and Washington carry the film on their backs while Mescal’s presence is like that of a spotter. In his defense, he didn’t stand a chance onscreen with the likes of those two, Peter Mensah and Connie Nielsen. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the emperors of Rome.
Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) were the Roman Empire’s own Bobbsey twins. Fair play to the actors since that was their role, but to write in characters like this just added to the “campy”. They were unnecessary and added to the level of how “unserious” this film was. Denzel had the swagger and the one-liners while Pescal had the charisma and charm. Overall, it was a bit of a mess. But there is some good.
What this film brought that the first did not was more action. The battles were far more brutal and the Colosseum played host to various types of clashes. Some were by land, others by sea, and a handful featured typical hand-to-hand combat. The ending wasn’t predictable and went well with the plot. I’d go as far as saying the conclusion was actually refreshing. Because of all the battle scenes and crazy action taking place it would definitely be worth it to see this in IMAX.
Gladiator II gets a 7 out of 10. Seeing it on opening day in IMAX will be worth it. Yes, there are plenty of cornball moments that hurt the film’s authenticity, but do you want to be entertained? The film is very entertaining, it’s just not legendary like its predecessor. But it’s worth it to see Denzel do Denzel things in Ancient Rome.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Paramount Pictures
Genre: Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Runtime: 2hrs 28mins
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: November 22, 2024