Gladiator II

By: Jamie Steinberg

When it came to Gladiator – the OG – were you not entertained?! Well, prepare for an even grander spectacle with Gladiator II – including the appearance of Denzel Washington! Opening sixteen years post death of Maximus (Russell Crowe), battle sequences and violence astound. Grab a seat and be prepared for an action-packed must-see flick that will leave you in awe.

When we return to the Colosseum, we meet Roman General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and Roman refugee Lucius “Hanno” Verus (Paul Mescal). Acacius and his soldiers wage war and wind up killing Lucius’ wife. So, right now you would assume this would mean a tale of revenge begins. You would be wrong…Viewers are quick to learn that Acacius is married to Lucilla (hello again Connie Nielson) – Maximus’ former partner. It turns out that Lucius is actually the son that she sent off years earlier in hopes of him remaining safe. So, yeah, things are complicated. We find Lucius fighting for his life against a group of feral baboons, which winds up impressing a gladiator handler named Macrinus (Washington). From there Macrinus harnesses Lucius’ rage to impress emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).

Director Ridley Scott breaks out a number of insane set pieces but could have amped up the budget for those CGI baboons. But keep an eye out for other incredible spectacles like a soldier atop a rhino and even sharks in the Colosseum! My only other qualm with the flick is the deep dive into the connection between Lucius and Maximus – to the point where footage from the first film is used. Certainly, fans need to be clear of how the two films fit together but I felt it didn’t need to be made in such an “Point A + Point B = Point C” method.

What stuns the most is the acting done by actors Mescal and Pascal. Crowe was incredibly captivating as Maximus and maybe no one can live up to his legendary work, but they are two different people and, thus, have two different approaches to their acting. So, it’s a bit like comparing apples to oranges should you wish to find fault in whether you feel Mescal lives up to his predecessor. Pascal also fares well, but his screen time is less than the setup alludes. However, he and Washington entertain in their roles and captivate with their on-screen presences.

If you are thinking of finding a flick for the family to explore this Thanksgiving holiday, I would say to save this one for a guy’s night out or let the ladies watch Wicked while the men explore Gladiator II. One may be a little longer in length, but with all the action and adventure that this sequel has in store the fellas will have plenty to talk about over the table.