GLADIATOR II is directed by Ridley Scott. It stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, and Denzel Washington.
Long after the death of Maximus, his son Lucius and allies suffer a crippling defeat at the hand of the Roman Empire, resulting in great personal losses. Before long, he is forced into the arena as a gladiator, swearing revenge against the man who put him there. Behind the scenes, plots exist to overthrow the twin emperors who have plunged Rome into plight and corruption. Will Lucius endure, striking back and making the former dreams of a free Rome a reality?
Way back in the year 2000 (I was still in high school at the time!), GLADIATOR was a movie that took the world by storm. It won several Academy Awards, revived the ailing “sword and sandal” movie genre, and put director Ridley Scott (ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER) back on the map. It was a triumph in many ways for its cast and crew, and certainly with moviegoers. Rumors of a sequel had persisted for over two decades… but finally came to fruition. It took 24 years, but GLADIATOR II has finally arrived. How is it?
This moviegoer certainly loved the original GLADIATOR but didn’t necessarily feel that it needed a sequel. That said, I’m pleased to report that GLADIATOR II is a worthy successor and doesn’t feel like a lazy Hollywood cash-in. The production values are incredible. The performances are great. And it’s a fully-realized and relatable epic with three-dimensional characters that never places style over substance. It’s one of the best movies of the year.
Much like the original GLADIATOR, GLADIATOR II shines in its production design. From start to finish, you’ll feel like you were transported back to the days when and where the Roman Empire ruled the world, with elaborate fortresses, temples, arenas, secret passages, and everything in between. We even see some black-and-white Bergman-esque visions of a limbo between the worlds of the living and the dead. Everything feels believable but with slight exaggeration for the sake of making a Hollywood blockbuster, but in this case that certainly works to the final product’s advantage. I’ve seen many movies with gladiator battles in ancient arenas, but this is the only one where I’ve ever seen an arena recreation of a Roman sea battle in an arena, complete with flooded terrain and bloodthirsty sharks (how they got all that water and those sharks in there I may never know, but I was entertained enough not to ask questions). My screening for GLADIATOR II was in the IMAX room at Regal Sunset Station, and I can certainly say it’s an epic of the ancient world that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
The performances are solid as well, with Paul Mescal taking the lead role and enduring trials and tribulations in and out of the arena alike. He’s a fantastic leading man who I was only loosely familiar with prior to seeing GLADIATOR II, but he certainly has the presence a role like this requires, and gives a worthy performance. A handful of secondary characters are played by actors reprising their roles from the first film, but much of GLADIATOR II belongs to new actors/characters, including Denzel Washington as an ex-gladiator with his own plans to remake Rome in his image, and Pedro Pascal as a Roman general who, while initially presented as an antagonist, may not be all that he seems at first glance. GLADIATOR II is masterfully cast and acted, with some of the best screen performances of 2024.
The other side of the camera is equally talented. Director Ridley Scott returns to helm the sequel, and this guy is living proof that age is just a number. Pushing 90, the guy continues to direct films that can complete with his earlier classics, and that’s no small feat. The musical score is equally fantastic, and the direction and editing keep things tightly paced and moving along nicely. The movie clocks in at around two-and-a-half hours, but never feels like it’s dragging. That’s an accomplishment unto itself.
It’s not quite a perfect film despite all it gets right, though. While the decadent twin Roman emperors are certainly interesting villains, their performances never quite live up to that of Joaquin Phoenix in the first film, nor does one ever quite feel that same level of menace. Likewise, too much of the plot development is crammed into the film’s final half hour, making the climax and ending feel a bit rushed and anticlimactic. Still, the good outweighs the bad, and audiences should be thoroughly entertained.
GLADIATOR II had a lot to live up to. Does Ridley Scott’s sequel live up to the original film he directed and released back in 2000? Not quite, but at times, it comes pretty damn close. GLADIATOR II is one of 2024’s strongest films with glorious production design, fantastic performances, tight editing, and a riveting musical score that excellently sets the mood. It’s every bit as violent as its processor, though, so skip it if you’re squeamish though!
Very highly recommended.
GLADIATOR II hits theaters on November 22.