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Sequels can be fraught with issues, especially when there’s a large gap between entries. While Gladiator II does have some problems, it succeeds in telling a story that follows up the original film, while also being an entertaining movie in its own right. Gladiator II was directed by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner), and written by David Scarpa (Napoleon). It stars Paul Mescal (Normal People), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), and Denzel Washington (Training Day), with Connie Nielsen (Wonder Woman) as the only main returning cast member from the original film.
Gladiator II is set sixteen years after Maximus’s (Russell Crowe) death in the first Gladiator. The film follows Lucius (Mescal) – mostly known as Hanno – the son of Lucilla (Nielsen). Shortly after the events of the first film, she sends her son away to keep him safe, promising to retrieve him once he is old enough to assume his rightful place as Emperor. He makes a life for himself in Numidia, with his wife Arishat (Yuval Gonen). Unfortunately, Numidia is sieged upon by the army of General Acacius (Pescal), decimating it. Arishat is killed in battle, while Lucius is enslaved and eventually recruited as a gladiator.
A Similar Story Told Differently
Gladiator II begins as a revenge story, with Lucius determined to kill Acacius to avenge his wife. But, the ties to the first film are ever-present, with Gladiator II consistently tying back to the original whether that’s thematically or through flashbacks. It’s quickly evident that this film has taken the story of Maximus and split it in two. The first is Maximus’s journey, rising up as a gladiator to eventually kill Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). That’s essentially Lucius’s story for most of this film.
The second part of Maximus’s story revolves around Maximus – a Roman General – looking to bring back the Roman Republic as set out by Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) in the first movie. This plot is given to Acacius, as he is now involved with Lucilla, and the pair attempt to overthrow the Emperors Geta and Caracalla. Splitting the story up this way allows for more interesting plotlines to pop their head up in the back half, resulting in a far more compelling story than if they had just rehashed the original.
However, the result is a somewhat single-minded lead character who rarely has anything but revenge running through his mind. With that being said, Macrinus (Washington) is undoubtedly the most interesting character in the film, as a master manipulator trying to cunningly work his way into Roman inner circles. Acacius is someone who you’ll probably end up pitying by the end of the film, whereas Lucilla is fairly one-note. Her character is treated as poorly here as she was in the original film.
Washington Showed Up For Gladiator II
The best performance in the film by far is Denzel Washington as Macrinus, the owner of the Gladiators. Washington is phenomenal, chewing the scenery in every scene and treating the dialogue as if he were performing Shakespeare. It elevates the film in every way, and it would be far less entertaining without his performance. Mescal is fairly one-note as the strong silent type but manages to inspire in some of the bigger speech scenes. Pascal is good, but his character doesn’t get much to do. General Acacius also ends up being quite similar to roles he’s played in the past, so it’s not exactly new ground for him.
Nielsen is fine, but she doesn’t do anything spectacular because of how underwritten her character is. The actors who play the two Emperors are quite good as well, with Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things) playing Geta, and Fred Hechinger (Thelma) as Caracalla. They have a manic energy, with Hechinger playing Caracalla as the more impulsive Emperor and Quinn as slightly more calculated. They aren’t copying Phoenix’s performance, which is the main reason why they work so well.
Throughout the meaty 148-minute runtime, we don’t get to see much of Rome, but what we do see looks great. The film opens with the battle in Numidia, and it looks spectacular while feeling somewhat grounded. The gladiator fights themselves are also well-choreographed, with only the visual effects dampening their impact. One particular fight with hounds looks ghastly because the animals just don’t look real.
Hear the Audience Cheer
Smartly, Gladiator II reuses some of the first film’s score, including the main theme. This fits with the movie thematically because it’s about legacy and the cyclical nature of revenge. So it makes sense to hear those themes again, especially in the middle of callbacks. The new score by Harry Gregson-Williams (The Martian) feels good too, never out of place with the music from the original. Oddly, there are some editing choices that add a touch of humor that feels out of place with the methodical dramatic narrative.
I only watched the original Gladiator earlier this year, in a theater. While I don’t have any sentimentality for the film, primarily because it was released when I was a year old, it is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Gladiator II isn’t one of the greatest films of all time and it might not crack Ridley Scott’s top five. But, it’s still a great, fun time that both new fans and fans of the original should enjoy. You should see it on the biggest screen you can to catch the glory of Rome.
Gladiator II releases in theaters on November 22, 2024.
Gladiator II
Overcoming the usual pitfalls of a sequel, Gladiator II manages to be an entertaining watch because of an enthralling performance, and a good story.
Pros
- Mostly good performances, while Washington elevates with an award-worthy one.
- The story sidesteps repeating the original, choosing to focus on an element the original overlooks.
- Great score that uses tracks from the original.
Cons
- Some of the visual effects are distractingly bad.
- There are a few editing choices that feel unintentionally comical.
- Most of the characters are too one-note.
