Only Ridley Scott would dare to make a sequel to his most treasured blockbuster epic 24 years later. After Gladiator (2000) became a massive box office hit and won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe, a sequel was obviously considered but would have to trudge through development hell for the next two decades. A wide array of concepts for Gladiator II were conceived over the years, including an infamous script written by famed musician Nick Cave (who was personally hired by Crowe) that featured the Roman afterlife, resurrection, and, yes, time travel. Now, the version of Gladiator II that we finally have today is far more of a straightforward sequel, perhaps even to its detriment.
Set around 200 AD, two decades after the events of the first film, Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), a young warrior from the North African coastal city of Numidia who has his entire life taken away by the Roman Empire. Under the command of the noble General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), a massive Roman fleet of warships invade Numidia by sea. After tragically losing his beloved wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen), and the majority of his people in the bloody takeover, Lucius is sold into slavery in Rome. There, he comes across Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave-turned nobleman and socialite who adds Lucius to his mighty stable of gladiators.
Fueled by blind revenge, Lucius makes a brutal name for himself in the Colosseum, attracting the attention of the mad twin rulers, Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Emperor Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). With his eyes set on collecting General Marcus Acacius’ head, Lucius is naive about his role as a key pawn in Macrinus’ fiendish plot to seize the throne for himself. But he’s not the only one looking to overthrow the deranged twin emperors. To restore an impoverished Rome to stability and wash out the corruption, the good general and his wife Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) plan a coup alongside the noble Senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi) and an army of loyal Roman troops.
As multiple parties all concurrently play their hands for the throne, a game-changing secret about Lucius’ true lineage is revealed. Up until now, Gladiator II doesn’t play so differently from the original film, bar some notable differences, which doesn’t do it many favors. The script, written by frequent Ridley Scott collaborator David Scarpa (Napoleon, All the Money in the World) and Peter Craig (Top Gun: Maverick, The Batman), starts to break free from the first film’s shadow when finally divulging its major narrative twist. Frankly, too much time is spent trodding around what everyone already knows. As given away in the movie’s marketing, Lucius is actually the son of Russell Crowe’s protagonist from the first movie, Maximus Decimus Meridius.
Irish actor Paul Mescal, known for his spectacular breakout roles in Normal People and Aftersun, leads Gladiator II with a merciless screen presence. As Lucius, Mescal pulls off a fine balance of conveying both barbaric rage and tender vulnerability in equal measure. While he definitely shines in the film’s many extraordinary battle sequences in the Colosseum, it’s also in the quieter moments where Mescal wins the audience over with his soft charm. Having said that, his performance does feel slightly held back by the fact that his real identity is kept a secret for a few scenes too long.
Courtesy of Paramount
Lucius doesn’t get much time to reflect on his destiny as the true heir to Rome since, by the time of this revelation, the third act quickly looms on the horizon. Luckily, the supporting cast helps Mescal elevate the fairly straightforward material on the page. Denzel Washington is the next crucial piece of Gladiator II, playing a high society puppet master who rises to the top of the food chain by pure deception. In a surprising turn, Macrinus reveals himself to be the final boss of Gladiator II, setting Rome in flames, all while sporting the smuggest of grins. Washington’s machiavellian performance brings out the most hilarious moments of the film, fully buying into director Ridley Scott’s melodramatic tone.
In the best way possible, Gladiator II feels like a high-stakes Roman soap opera. Similar to Napoleon, Ridley Scott sets the stage with no ounce of grandeur wasted; his blocking in many luxurious set pieces allows everyone to make the most of their screen time. Simply put, there’s no small player in Gladiator II. Pedro Pascal’s character presents an unexpected opposition for Lucius: a cunning general who, tired of all the bloodshed, seeks to no longer conquer. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger’s dual act as the twin emperors is especially impressive, the two bouncing off each other in a twisted game of co-dependency. Finally, the returning Connie Nielsen brings a necessary voice of reason to wash out the madness.
Even with this sequel’s few narrative downfalls, it’s hard to be pressed when Ridley Scott is firing on all cylinders. At the sharp age of 86, Scott is still finding ways to best his own cinematic standards. Some moviegoers might be quick to point out an overindulgence of GCI in Gladiator II, as there are far more larger-than-life action sequences in this sequel. From Paul Mescal wrestling huge savage baboons to him taking on an armored rhino to an entire Colosseum filled with water and man-eating sharks, the remarkable visual effects further elevate the viewing experience. Sure, the CGI may be noticeable at times. However, these sequences are so imaginative and expertly framed that it makes no difference.
Gladiator II is Ridley Scott at the top of his game, continuing to prove why he’s a master. That high praise gets thrown around a lot, given his long list of iconic works. But even with some admittable rough edges, Scott’s balls-to-the-wall, no-regrets attitude towards crafting grand spectacles cannot be found anywhere else. Furthermore, any doubts regarding Paul Mescal’s acting prowess at the blockbuster level are immediately dispelled, signaling the rise of a new bonafide movie star. Though naysayers are bound to dismiss Gladiator II as another swords-and-sandals epic from an aging director, or maybe a sequel that came too late, it’s got a strong beating heart and radiating soul that gives it purpose.
Gladiator II doesn’t reach the same emotional heights as the original movie. However, for all the highly entertaining chaos it has going for it, this legacy sequel is more than worthy.
Gladiator II hits theaters on November 22!
Release Date: November 22, 2024.
Directed by Ridley Scott.
Screenplay by David Scarpa.
Story by Peter Craig & David Scarpa.
Based on characters created by David Franzoni.
Produced by Ridley Scott, David Franzoni, Michael Pruss, Douglas Wick, & Lucy Fisher.
Executive Producers: Aidan Elliott, Raymond Kirk, Laurie MacDonald, & Walter F. Parkes.
Main Cast: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Tim McInnerny, Alexander Karim, Rory McCann, Alec Utgoff, Yuval Gonen, Matt Lucas, & Peter Mensah.
Cinematographer: John Mathieson.
Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams.
Production Companies: Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment, & Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation.
Distributor: Paramount Pictures.
Runtime: 148 minutes.
Rated R.
