Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by: David Scarpa
Starring: Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Derek Jacobi
Runtime: 148 minutes
‘Gladiator II’ fights but fails to capture the magic of the first film
The night before attending a screening of director Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II”, I rewatched Scott’s “Gladiator” (2000) for the first time since experiencing the movie in theatres 24 years ago.
I remember thoroughly enjoying the pageantry of “Gladiator” back in 2000, but it wasn’t my favorite film that year. My personal best-picture award went to Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000).
Still, after experiencing “Gladiator” again in 2024, with the opening battle scene, the political intrigue, Joaquin Phoenix’s dastardly supporting performance as Commodus, and a beautifully crafted, emotional ending, one can see why the Academy chose Scott’s epic as its 2001 Best Picture. Let’s not forget Russell Crowe’s heroic work as Maximus. When he delivers his reveal to Commodus, the famous “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius” line clarifies in this critic’s mind why Crowe won the 2001 Best Actor Oscar, almost for that scene alone.
Twenty-four years later, “Gladiator II” invades theatres.
Although the sequel, set 16 years after the first movie, offers sweeping production values, elaborate costume design, and intricate fighting sequences, the narrative feels meandering and forced by offering a changing portrait of the new lead while simultaneously stuffing him into a gladiator setting.
Recent Indie Film Prince Paul Mescal (“Aftersun” (2022), “All of Us Strangers” (2023)) plays the lead as Lucius, the grown-up son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus (Crowe). Although Mescal, a terrific actor, looks convincing and effectively swings a sword as a 120 A.D. gladiator, he – for whatever reason - doesn’t carry the Earth-shaking charisma of Crowe, at least to me, and hence, his journey feels inconsequential.
Meandering, forced, and inconsequential are not three ways to describe an Oscar-worthy sequel or a movie worth seeing. Still, “Gladiator II” has an audience for those wanting to absorb a Roman epic with plenty of clashes (both mano a mano and communal), a continuation of the “Gladiator” storyline, and a captivating performance by Denzel Washington as Macrinus, the leader/merchant of the gladiators.
Washington delivers the film’s best performance, given the man’s master thespian skills and a deliciously written part.
The story opens in Numidia, in Northern Africa, where Lucius built a life for himself. He’s a young leader in this community and is married to Arishat (Yuval Gonen), a warrior in her own right. Soon after a brief introduction, the Romans, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), invade Lucius’ new residence in a fierce battle with boats, a precarious drawbridge, arrows, cannons, and hand-to-hand combat.
(For the record, Pascal needed more screen time in this movie.)
After the battle, Lucius is thrown into a gladiator stable, which leads to a trip back to Rome.
Maximus’ wishes for a Roman democracy didn’t quite pan out. Twin Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) rule the ancient roost. Geta and Caracalla – who make Commodus look like Arnold Schwarzenegger in comparison - lead with a singular goal of satisfying their shared id of witnessing blood-stained combat. Hence, Lucius and company have a market to sharpen and flaunt their fighting skills in the Colosseum.
To drum up bigger conflicts than the first film, Scott, screenwriter David Scarpa, cinematographer John Mathieson, and humongous special effects and visual effects departments dream up three clashes with vastly different animals involved in the mix. The first two encounters are not out of bounds, but the third seems a bit preposterous, with sharks roaming about a flooded Colosseum.
Granted, a quick Google search surprisingly reveals that the Romans did flood the arena and stage naval battles on a smaller scale, but sharks seem like an obstacle too far, right? Who knows, maybe it happened, but the way it plays out on screen, this critic was waiting for “sharks with laser beams attached to their heads.” See also “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002).
Meanwhile, Lucilla hasn’t seen Lucius since she sent him away shortly after the events of “Gladiator”, and the plot hinges on a reunion between the two and his thirst for revenge against Marcus Acacius. Lurking in the background and grandstanding in the foreground, Macrinus craves power and has the will to acquire it.
Our hero, Lucius, partakes in bold, bloody battles, including decapitating an opponent faster than you can say, “Jason Voorhees!”
Lucius isn’t the villain, but his best moments are on the battlefield. We know who Lucius is during combat, but the script portrays him as a sensitive husband, a cordial, respected young man in Numidia, a raging, bitter, vengeful maniac in Rome, and a battle-tested leader (all within a 2.5-hour runtime). Then, he takes another turn, which will not be revealed in this review.
He converses with Macrinus about his status in the stable, his mother about their past, and his best friend who regularly sews him up after bloody fights, but it’s awfully difficult to get a distinct, concise beat of who Lucius actually is. Indeed, his arc is clear, but his persona is not.
Apparently, he attempts to find himself on this road to his roots, but only if Mescal and the script give us enough to care.
Lucius might have glorious confrontations in the future, say, 125 A.D., but for now, he seems like a long and distant reproduction of Maximus, even though he’s only one generation removed. When “Gladiator II” composer Harry Gregson-Williams cues Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard’s “Now We Are Free” (2000), the magic of “Gladiator” sadly seems like a 2000-year-old memory.
Jeff’s ranking
2/4 stars
