Gladiator II (2024)

STRENGTH AND HONOR!

The legendary Sir Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) returns to Ancient Rome to direct this long-awaited sequel to his Best Picture-winning, blockbuster smash from twenty four years ago, Gladiator.  This continuation takes place around sixteen years later as the legacy of the both Maximus and the late Emperor Marcus Aurelius has seemingly waned.  Rome is now even more corrupt with two childish, manic twin emperors (Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger) now running things as the Roman Empire has stretched itself even thinner under the military leadership of General Acacius (Pedro Pascal)....with bloody, increasingly elaborate gladiator games taking place in the Coliseum now as important as ever!

And into this brutal arena, A Hero Will Rise. :) His name is Lucius and he's a slave played by acclaimed up-and-coming actor Oscar-nominee Paul Mescal (Aftersun, All of Us Strangers) while the promoter who owns and controls him is Macrinus played by multiple Oscar-winner Denzel Washington.  Also still in the mix and returning from the first film is Lucilla played by Connie Nielsen (One Hour Photo, Wonder Woman) who seems to recognize this strapping young fighter who's staking Rome by storm....and what results is another swords-and-sandals epic somewhat similar to the first one, only THIS time featuring....sharks? :P  

Host & Editor: Geoff Gershon
Producer: Marlene Gershon

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Transcript

GLADIATOR II - 2024

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Yuval Gonen, Lior Raz, Peter Mensah, Matt Lucas, and Derek Jacobi 

Genre: Ancient Epic (Audio clip)

Wow I don't know exactly what to make of this but I actually found myself BORED during at least the first half of this movie. ☹️ I'm at a loss because every one in the cast seems to be doing their job and the action is well-shot....it just felt very listless, uninspired, and with virtually no forward momentum. And it's not like I hold the original in SUCH high esteem - I really enjoyed it in theaters but it's a pretty flawed, simplistic movie only elevated by a few key elements and performances. But compared to that first Gladiator, this felt like a slog to watch....

Pedro Pascal (as General Acacius) and Connie Nielsen (returning in her role from the first movie as Lucilia) each have a couple of memorable moments though not nearly as many as I would have thought....they've got the screentime, it's just that the screenplay by David Scarpa (last year's wonky but still superior Napoleon) just gives them very little to do but look cool in their Roman garb. As the main lead Lucius, Paul Mescal is just fine - he looks and sounds great, he's got a charismatic smile, handles the action chops arguably as well as Crowe did in the original and yet....he's still just kind of there. Also the way his character is shot and presented just feels like it does him a disservice....if this guy is an actual "slave" scrounging his way to freedom, why the hell are we always just seeing him....hanging out among higher-ups, even just lounging by himself unchained in a bath sometimes throughout the movie? 😆

THAT might actually be nailing my big issue with this movie overall: there is ZERO urgency. Nobody on-screen seems as if they're fighting for their lives nor is overwhelmed with outrageous nor fear. The disappointingly themeless score from Harry Gregson-Williams isn't helping manners nor is the sometimes choppy editing from Sam Restivo and Claire Simpson....and Simpson has certainly worked on MUCH better movies like Platoon or The Constant Gardener. It feels as if nothing consequential which occurs on screen is given much weight....seriously there was at least one character's death at one point which took me aback but was just treated and brushed aside as an afterthought.

Gladiator for all of its flaws and cliches and recycled tropes back in 2000 (I remember it being critiqued by some as a "Roman Braveheart" at the time - I still prefer it to Braveheart)....STILL had melodrama and punch and EMOTION. 🙄 When Joaquim Phoenix' Commodus screams out "Am I not MERCIFUL???" towards the end, you half want to laugh but you still FEEL it. ;) It's a period revenge thriller which played to the cheap seats but it does that with confidence and abandon. Besides some nusto moments from Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger playing overly foppish twin emperors (sorry I really couldn't tell the two apart), there's just very little of that here. Denzel seems to be having some fun too but it just feels like there were some missing scenes to truly flesh out his character's plan or even backstory.  And I’ll get back to him in just a bit…. 

Best Needledrop (best song cue or score used throughout runtime of film): 

Yeah unfortunately following up the iconic MAJESTY of the score from that first film – a true collaboration between Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard – the music for this film was disappointingly underwhelming.  Some recycled themes, some new themes, but hardly any which could leave a mark as far as I was concerned.  The BEST part?  Yeah in the interest of fan service, this would certainly not be the FIRST legacy sequel to just wholesale bring back an entire theme from the original….after all, Top Gun Maverick did this to pretty successful effect….not only reprising the opening theme but pretty much lifting the opening title sequence too.  So I can’t really fault Sir Ridley and crew for kind of going the opposite route by not only lifting one of THE final images from that first movie….but also the closing theme.  Thematically it actually kind of works with how this story closes out too - I’m referring to the GORGEOUS Zimmer/Gerrard track “Now We Are Free.” (Audio clip)  

Wasted Talent (most under-utilized talent involved with film): 

I mean wow….take your pick here.  We’re talking about a STACKED cast, each of which feels either underutilized or just mis-used based on the overall story.  Obviously it would be easy for me to just pin my overall disappointment with this movie all on Sir Ridley as after this and his last two underwhelming Alien prequels, I'm at the point where I would prefer that he just....MOVE ON from any franchises which he has created. 🙄 I think it might be more than that though…

Just looking back at The Martian – which I LOVED form him, not even ten years ago - it's clear that paired with the right screenwriter (Drew Goddard), he can still direct a top-flight genre picture with the best of them. It just feels like there was very little inspiration here from the page.  Even looking back upon the original Gladiator….a film which had a messy production process and apparently a script which was constantly being rewritten on the fly…..it was still structured better than this.  The main writer in that instance was John Logan who has a BIT of a mixed track record overall but risen to the occasion with some EXCELLENT collaborations including Hugo, Rango, the underrated Shakespeare adaptation Coriolanis, AND previous episode….only what I consider to be THE Best Bond film of all time SKYFALL. Ridley has always been a gifted conceptualist but he’s not an auteur… So bottom line, this movie needed a better foundation from a better writer. 

Trailer Moment (scene or moment that best describes this movie):

This is NOT a movie short on spectacle for sure….and there are several inventive fight sequences involving gladiators taking on rabid monkeys, barreling rhinos, and even….in one sequence which had already apparently set social media on fire before release just based on the trailers…..SHARKS.  Yes they fill up the coliseum stage with water and have a massive water battle….I honestly don’t feel like I can add anything to the overall discourse over this sequence, how historically accurate it was….the logistics….let’s just say that I thought it KINDA looked cool, albeit a bit ridiculous. (Audio clip) 

For me, the overall highlights were when gladiators fought OTHER ACTUAL HUMANS…..the fight choreography and stuntwork involved with these was unassailable and like I said, Paul Mescal’s GOT the chops here.  Dude bulked up impressively and can handle two swords like nobody’s business…..which leads me to HIS final fight.

As this movie just came out, I’m not going to spoil who’s involved but I WILL say that I actually found this final climax MORE thrilling than the final one in the first movie….sorry that final duel between Maximus and Commodus just felt like an afterthought, though that MIGHT have been the point.  In the case of THIS final stand-off, the stakes have been raised impressively even leading up to this fight and once it happens…..it’s well shot, sufficiently bloody AND brutal.  I just wish I cared more by this point….

MVP (person most responsible for the success of this film):

This is purely a DEFAULT choice as even though this actor delivers this film’s best performance, I still wanted more from his character too.  I’m of course referring to Denzel portraying the charismatic AND conniving Macrinus who is not only a promoter and owner of gladiators but seems to have higher ambitions towards seeking more power over Rome.  It’s an excellent performance, possibly even his best one overall since Fences….and he arguably gets as much screentime as anyone.  He’s got the swagger, the laugh, he’s a kick to watch. (Audio clip) 

But sadly yes, even HIS character is given short shrift – we only really see his plotting take effect JUST as it’s happening, no real set-up, minimal build-up, no backstory, and no motivations revealed.  It just feels as if there were some missing scenes of Macrinus being challenged….or just actually FEELING emotions reacting to what’s occurring around him.  And that’s a shame because for a story which just keeps dipping it feet in different narrative directions, this could have been MUCH better if his story was the focus…..for doing what he was paid to do and merely hinting at the promise of a better version of this movie, Denzel Washington is the MVP. 

Final Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Sigh….this was definitely one of the more disappointing in-theater experiences I have had recently….and I saw this in a packed house no less.  If you REALLY enjoyed the first one, my recommendation would simply be….to rewatch that one sorry. 

Now Playing in Theaters

And that ends another PRAETORIAN review!