Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is an entertaining–if underwhelming–sequel to the iconic original. Boasting the star power of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal, the film focuses on the journey of Maximus’ son Lucius and takes place 16 years after the events of the first film. Lost heir to the Roman dynasty of Marcus Aurelius, Mescal’s Lucius (under the name Hanno) is captured at the battle of Numidia, where his wife Arishat is killed by the Roman General Acacius (Pascal). Lucius is purchased by a gladiatorial merchant, Macrinus (Washington), and put through the rigors of the Roman coliseum in a journey of revenge against General Acacius. He achieves his goal only to realize too late that his true enemy was actually the conniving and treacherous Macrinus all along. Macrinus uses Acacius’ death as a political maneuver to usurp the twin emperors Caracalla and Geta and takes his place as Consul of Rome. The story culminates in Lucius accepting his identity as the son of Maximus and grandson of Marcus Aurelius and confronting the treacherous Macrinus in a showdown battling for the life of his mother and the soul of the Empire at the gates of Rome where Macrinus’ Praetorian army and Acacius’ Legion prepare to come to blows.
“Gladiator II” is a film that did not need to be made. This fact can be seen by how heavily it rides on nostalgia for the original: from the opening title sequence to the many moments throughout the plot where flashbacks are used to accentuate different emotional beats. Its climactic finale is even plagued by this reminiscing as it visualizes the conclusion of Lucius’ character arc with him donning the original armor of Maximus in a symbolic gesture of acceptance of his identity. “Gladiator II” also hits many of the same narrative beats as the original–albeit while making an admirable attempt at adding its own twists. This is not to say that the movie’s writing is bad. It does its due diligence tackling themes, character motivations and setting up the climax. However, it is all tinged by a reminiscing over the original.
“Gladiator II’s” main character Lucius is in many ways a worse version of Maximus. Husband to a murdered wife, his journey is one of revenge until around the halfway point when it becomes a battle for identity. The problems with this character are fundamental. He is half-baked. The defeats he suffers and the victories he achieves along his journey feel mostly like unearned and hollow retreads of the trials faced by Maximus. His transformation from Hanno the Gladiator into Lucius the heir to Rome felt unearned and inevitable. On the other hand, there was a character in this film that was compelling to watch throughout. The villain Macrinus is the most entertaining in the cast (helped in no small part to the brilliant performance of Washington who stands head and shoulders above the others) adding a surprising twist to the cut-and-dry story of vengeance, and serving as a compelling antagonist and ideological foil to Lucius.
To further accentuate the problem, these two are surrounded by an equally boring and flat cast of side characters. Lucius’ fellow gladiators may as well be swapped out with any number of plain-faced muscular men for all the importance they lend the story. This includes Pascal’s Acacius who had the potential to be both memorable and engaging but ultimately suffered a regression into little more than a plot device. He is set up as the lover and co-conspirator with Lucilla (Connie Nielson), Lucius’ mother, who plans a coup to overthrow the emperors. However, he fails to act as anything other than a static foil for the much more interesting Lucilla until the film’s midpoint when he is killed in the coliseum. Afterward, he takes up the symbolic position of a martyr: a role that is frankly unmerited by his actions in the film.
To give credit where it is due, “Gladiator II” is a competently made film that makes use of its large budget to craft memorable and engaging set pieces. The aquatic battle at the film’s midpoint is a particular highlight. However, these action sequences are notably hampered by the film’s lackluster cinematography. Moments that might otherwise be dynamic or compelling were presented in the most lukewarm fashion with a distinctive lack of flare or compelling camerawork. This is a shame because the production quality of the many sets, costumes and effects are one of the strongest elements of this film.
All things considered, “Gladiator II” is a good film that did not need to be made and is hampered by the fact that it is a sequel to a much better and more compelling story. It also suffers from a host of issues with its characters, writing and production. The biggest takeaway from my experience watching this was an overwhelming desire to revisit the original and re-engage with the story of Maximus which was simple, compelling and of course, entertaining.
Gladiator II Review (Spoilers)
Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II” is an entertaining–if underwhelming–sequel to the iconic original. Boasting the star power of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal, the film focuses on the journey of Maximus’ son Lucius and takes place 16 years after the events of the first film. Lost heir to the Roman dynasty of Marcus Aurelius, Mescal’s Lucius (under the name Hanno) is captured at the battle of Numidia, where his wife Arishat is killed by the Roman General Acacius (Pascal). Lucius is purchased by a gladiatorial merchant, Macrinus (Washington), and put through the rigors of the Roman coliseum in a journey of revenge against General Acacius. He achieves his goal only to realize too late that his true enemy was actually the conniving and treacherous Macrinus all along. Macrinus uses Acacius’ death as a political maneuver to usurp the twin emperors Caracalla and Geta and takes his place as Consul of Rome. The story culminates in Lucius accepting his identity as the son of Maximus and grandson of Marcus Aurelius and confronting the treacherous Macrinus in a showdown battling for the life of his mother and the soul of the Empire at the gates of Rome where Macrinus’ Praetorian army and Acacius’ Legion prepare to come to blows.
“Gladiator II” is a film that did not need to be made. This fact can be seen by how heavily it rides on nostalgia for the original: from the opening title sequence to the many moments throughout the plot where flashbacks are used to accentuate different emotional beats. Its climactic finale is even plagued by this reminiscing as it visualizes the conclusion of Lucius’ character arc with him donning the original armor of Maximus in a symbolic gesture of acceptance of his identity. “Gladiator II” also hits many of the same narrative beats as the original–albeit while making an admirable attempt at adding its own twists. This is not to say that the movie’s writing is bad. It does its due diligence tackling themes, character motivations and setting up the climax. However, it is all tinged by a reminiscing over the original.
“Gladiator II’s” main character Lucius is in many ways a worse version of Maximus. Husband to a murdered wife, his journey is one of revenge until around the halfway point when it becomes a battle for identity. The problems with this character are fundamental. He is half-baked. The defeats he suffers and the victories he achieves along his journey feel mostly like unearned and hollow retreads of the trials faced by Maximus. His transformation from Hanno the Gladiator into Lucius the heir to Rome felt unearned and inevitable. On the other hand, there was a character in this film that was compelling to watch throughout. The villain Macrinus is the most entertaining in the cast (helped in no small part to the brilliant performance of Washington who stands head and shoulders above the others) adding a surprising twist to the cut-and-dry story of vengeance, and serving as a compelling antagonist and ideological foil to Lucius.
To further accentuate the problem, these two are surrounded by an equally boring and flat cast of side characters. Lucius’ fellow gladiators may as well be swapped out with any number of plain-faced muscular men for all the importance they lend the story. This includes Pascal’s Acacius who had the potential to be both memorable and engaging but ultimately suffered a regression into little more than a plot device. He is set up as the lover and co-conspirator with Lucilla (Connie Nielson), Lucius’ mother, who plans a coup to overthrow the emperors. However, he fails to act as anything other than a static foil for the much more interesting Lucilla until the film’s midpoint when he is killed in the coliseum. Afterward, he takes up the symbolic position of a martyr: a role that is frankly unmerited by his actions in the film.
God always sees us: a Saturday night Revival update
To give credit where it is due, “Gladiator II” is a competently made film that makes use of its large budget to craft memorable and engaging set pieces. The aquatic battle at the film’s midpoint is a particular highlight. However, these action sequences are notably hampered by the film’s lackluster cinematography. Moments that might otherwise be dynamic or compelling were presented in the most lukewarm fashion with a distinctive lack of flare or compelling camerawork. This is a shame because the production quality of the many sets, costumes and effects are one of the strongest elements of this film.
All things considered, “Gladiator II” is a good film that did not need to be made and is hampered by the fact that it is a sequel to a much better and more compelling story. It also suffers from a host of issues with its characters, writing and production. The biggest takeaway from my experience watching this was an overwhelming desire to revisit the original and re-engage with the story of Maximus which was simple, compelling and of course, entertaining.