The brutal sword-and-sandal epic, which takes place fifteen years after the events of the first Oscar-winning drama, also stars Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Connie Nielsen.
Ridley Scott, who is still going strong at 86, brings a scale and muscularity to Gladiator II that few modern filmmakers are attempting. The sequel provides the bloodshed, swordplay, battles, and Ancient Roman intrigue that fans of the film’s Oscar-winning 2000 predecessor will be craving in terms of gruesome spectacle, intricate period reconstruction, and strenuous set pieces requiring intricate choreography.
Nevertheless, a lot of the new movie has a déjà vu feel to it, a slavishness that permeates the very fabric of a drama that is unduly devoted to the original and extends beyond the men in cages who must struggle to survive.
David Scarpa, who wrote Napoleon and All the Money in the World for Scott, is credited with writing the screenplay, which frequently feels more like a remake than a sequel. The majority of its characters can be directly linked to their Gladiator counterparts, and it nearly exactly replicates the format of David Franzoni’s original Gladiator script.
The minor role of the gladiatorial games’ master of ceremonies is just one example. The previous time, it was David Hemmings’ campy Cassius, who appeared to be trying out for Annie while wearing a curly red wig. The Great British Bake Off routine is being painfully repeated by Matt Lucas, who is dressed in a fancy toga this time.
. Is Scott implying that the flamboyant gays of Ancient Rome worked as Colosseum announcers?
The film’s energy is bolstered when it emerges from the shadow of the original, which it does with gusto whenever Denzel Washington appears. He gives a lip-smacking performance as Macrinus, a Machiavellian former slave who now lives in luxury thanks to the earnings of his gladiator stable and patiently lays out a covert plan to gain more riches and influence.
Macrinus, dressed in the magnificent, multi-colored robes of costumer Janty Yates and dripping with jewels, is the eponymous Proximo played by the late Oliver Reed in Gladiator. However, Washington’s self-made man with a cunning plan is so distinct from his own character that he almost deserves a stand-alone movie because of his dazzling charisma, steely authority, and sly humor.
What does that mean for Paul Mescal, the new lead? The Irish actor dons Russell Crowe‘s Maximus’s strappy sandals and, as the trailer suggests, is revealed to be Lucius, the banished son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). If you’re spoiler-averse, don’t read on. Mescal is physically convincing as a fighter with a talent for surviving in the arena because he has bulked up for the part. However, his limited emotional range, which primarily focuses on the same notes of brooding intensity and simmering rage, makes his performance feel a little flat at times.
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The screenplay by Scarpa, which doesn’t give him much to play when he’s not stomping out of the Colosseum’s bowels to tangle with brutes and beasts and whip up the bloodthirsty crowd, is probably more to blame for this than the actor. Or, until the dramatic last act, at least, not much that doesn’t feel familiar or predictable. Mescal continues to be captivating and a fantastic actor. Even though he throws himself into the role of Lucius with great strength, there is a persistent sense that he isn’t a good fit for it.
Lucius’s quiet conversations with Ravi (Alexander Karim), a sympathetic former slave and gladiator who merited his freedom but decided to remain in Hell and treat the injured fighters, are among Mescal’s finest scenes. Lucius views Ravi as a confidant and trusted friend, much like Maximus did with Djimon Hounsou’s Juba. The connection between their characters gives more insight into the protagonist’s inner life than his snarling glares; Karim is an excellent scene partner, and Mescal reacts with kindness and gentle humor.
In contrast, Lucius and his mother’s interactions are essentially reenactments of Lucilla and Maximus’s interactions. In both movies, Lucilla fights to regain the trust of a man who has been estranged from her and has returned to Rome in chains, seeking retribution. One of the men is a son, the other a former lover. In a story limited by sloppy writing, this is by no means the only instance of rote repetition.
Lucius was raised in the province of Numidia in North Africa after his mother sent him away when he was twelve to protect him from Rome’s betrayal. His devoted wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen), is a respected leader in the outpost’s army and a proficient archer. A fleet of Roman warships under the command of General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) descends on the Numidian fortress in the film’s opening siege sequence, capturing the city and killing many.
Among the survivors, Lucius is captured and brought to Rome, where he is captured by Macrinus and Vigo (Lior Raz), his brutal gladiatorial instructor. After suffering a devastating loss, Lucius swears to kill Acacius, the seed of vengeance burning inside him.
The hero triumphs in his suspenseful opening to the Colosseum, where a group of savage baboons attack him and the other “barbarians,” including the injured Numidian chieftain (played by Peter Mensah). This is likely the shoddiest CG work in a production that is generally strong in that area. Lucius is encouraged by Macrinus, who recognizes a talented gladiator when he sees one, to use his rage to win over the crowd by promising that if the He will get his chance at the general if the slave serves him well.
Acacius is married to Lucilla, and after his heroic service in Rome, all he wants is to be with her again. However, he is ordered to continue until Persia and India are subjugated by his brother emperors Geta (played by Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (played by Fred Hechinger), whose despotic rule is driving Rome to its destruction.
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In an attempt to halt the perpetual sacrifice of Roman soldiers for the emperors’ conceit, Acacius and Lucilla meet with a few senators they trust, including Derek Jacobi, Nielsen’s fellow Gladiator holdover who plays Gracchus. In order to fulfill Lucilla’s father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius (played by Richard Harris in the previous movie), they secretly plan to overthrow the despots, retake the city, and return it to the people.
After realizing that Lucius is her missing child, Lucilla finds herself torn between saving her son’s life and supporting her husband’s planned rebellion. As Geta becomes increasingly enraged by the rebellious gladiator’s popularity among the mob and syphilitic Caracalla becomes more insane, ultimately relying solely on his pet monkey, this puts her in grave danger.
Regarding those emperors, Joaquin Phoenix gave the most impressive performance in Gladiator as Commodus, the hated son of Marcus Aurelius who killed his father to ensure his impending rise to power, even though Crowe won an Oscar. Commodus was consumed by resentment, incestuous desire for his sister Lucilla, and fear that her son, Lucius, would be raised to succeed him on the throne. He was also consumed by a huge chip on his shoulder and a hatred for Maximus, a great military leader who was like a son to the emperor. The film’s protagonist had a worthy antagonist in Phoenix’s juicy, borderline insane role.
In their diabolical roles, Quinn and Hechinger are hilariously insane, which makes Geta and Caracalla sulky man-babies as naive as they are vicious. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that Scott cited Beavis and Butthead as examples after reading that. Making the rival emperors such insane clowns, however, lessens their threat even in the absence of the association. They are nearly too foolish to be evil.
The more complex and fascinating character is Acacius, who is portrayed by Pascal as a man of honor who sets a boundary for carrying on the unrelenting violence that the ravenous emperors demand. Acacius has a tragic nobility because Lucius is awakened too late to the integrity of a man he perceives as an enemy. Along with his strong physical presence, Pascal’s depth of character brings to the role, creates an absence when he’s removed from the action relatively early.
Once Lucius recognizes master manipulator Macrinus as his real enemy, however, the film really takes off, leading to a confrontation outside the city gates. Washington is a monster of ambition and greed, but he’s also a great source of humor because of his ability to maintain composure while relishing the character’s brutality. Playing opposite him also enrages Mescal because Lucius understands that his destiny is to save Rome rather than destroy it, giving the role a more complex and retroactive effect.
There are many current political parallels to be found in this historical drama, as is the case with all good ones, particularly in light of the recent contentious U.S. presidential election. Whether right or wrong, both sides could theoretically see themselves represented in the tale of a struggle to liberate an empire from dishonest, self-serving leaders in order to serve the people. However, in the end, the plot seems to be a rehashing of an already-existing model, with its frequent bursts of excitement failing to mask the subtle hint of staleness.
With the enormous advancements in digital technology over the 24 years since Gladiator, Scott appears to be more interested in producing larger, bolder action. This enables him to revive a concept that was considered unrealistic in the original: putting the men in the arena up against a gladiator who is heavily armed and mounted on a charging rhinoceros.
A nautical battle in the flooded pit of the Colosseum, where injured men fall from boats into the jaws of hungry sharks, is one instance of the film’s willful preference for showmanship over historical accuracy. Historians claim that the arena was filled with water, but neither the bucking rhino nor the sharks have any scientific proof. Who cares, though, if it amps up the excitement?
Despite the extravagant directing flourishes, the period detail is remarkable, showing significant constructions in Malta, where the majority of the film was filmed. (Scott also collaborated with production designer Arthur Max and cinematographer John Mathieson on Gladiator, as well as costume designer Yates, whose creations are enhanced by David Crossman’s extensive collection of gladiatorial and military attire.)
Some of Lucius’ afterlife fantasies are a bit awkward, and no image here is quite as poetic as the motif of Maximus’ hand sweeping across the wheat field or the visions of his wife and son in the original movie. However, some images evoke strong feelings, such as a picture of men raking the pebbly sand on the arena floor the evening before a match. Additionally, there is a stunning, artistic animated re-cap that includes images from the original film and appears to be an extension of the Scott Free Productions logo.
Scott is at his best when filming large crowds and bloody battles, as he showed in the much more erratic Napoleon. The high-drama score by Harry Gregson-Williams adds to the grandiosity of the scenes. Gladiator II has plenty of the eye-popping spectacle and operatic violence that audiences will desire, even though its protagonist lacks Crowe’s Maximus’s blazing glower.
