Prepare to be entertained by Gladiator II. Director Ridley Scott crafts a sequel to his iconic 2000 film starring Russell Crowe. This movie stars Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus, a young boy from the first film, now grown and sold into slavery to become a gladiator in the Roman Colosseum. Few films have gained the love and respect that Gladiator has had over the years, so a sequel is no easy task. While this movie is not as good as the first, it remains a thrilling swords-and-sandals epic that delivers on nearly every level.
I want to remind the world that Ridley Scott is 86 years old. He directs with a prowess unheard of for many directors in their 30s. He’s had his hits and misses, but his work has always looked splendid. Gladiator II is no exception. The film opens with an action set piece brimming with energy and violence. The battles and violence were always a highlight of the first Gladiator film, and this movie improves on the first in a few regards. Not only are we back in a world of incredibly exciting battle sequences, but Scott films them beautifully and with superb clarity at every moment.
Mescal has recently turned in excellent performances in Aftersun, All of Us Strangers, and Normal People. He gets his turn here to become a true movie star in a high-budget blockbuster. As Lucius, Mescal showcases many of his dramatic chops here. It’s challenging to fill the shoes of Russell Crowe in his prime, but Mescal comes pretty close. Maximus Decimus Meridius is one of the most engaging protagonists ever put to screen, and Lucius gets to step up as a successor of sorts. He has very compelling moments, particularly towards the final act of the film.
But the standout here is Denzel Washington. He’s been commanding the big screen for decades. When the first Gladiator movie came out, he had already won an Oscar and was headlining huge movies. Scott, who had worked with Washington on 2007’s American Gangster, brings him into this world perfectly. Washington steals the show with a performance that allows him to have fun, be charismatic, and get us to root against him. He’s a political puppeteer manipulating the people around him to get his way, and it’s captivating to watch.
Perhaps an issue with Gladiator II is that unlike the first movie, which was primarily driven forward by Maximus’s drive for vengeance, this sequel does not have one clear focus. Early on, Lucius loses someone close to him, sparking a similar thirst for revenge against another character. But as the movie progresses, his goal begins to shift. Unlike in the first movie, where Maximus is at the forefront of nearly everything, Lucius can be overshadowed by the other characters and events around him. When you have Washington as the supporting character, it’s hard not to put nearly all your focus on him.
The first movie also made the smart move to quickly make the audience hate Joaquin Phoenix’s character early on so that we’d root for his death. In Gladiator II, we have a lot of antagonistic forces, but none that feel as compelling. Pedro Pascal’s character appears to be an antagonist near the beginning, but the script quickly humanizes him. The main antagonists are twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). While they’re formidable villains, their connection to the protagonist is less personal. And even though Macrinus is no saint, Washington portrays the character with so much magnetism that you can’t help but like him until you can’t.
Despite the issues, Gladiator II provides a better experience than nearly any movie this year. The story has many moving parts, but David Scarpa’s screenplay retains full clarity and focus. Every moment feels meaningful, and every moment is engaging. While the action sequences are a highlight, every dialogue scene has superb writing and direction, allowing you to engage with each character, their goals, and their conflicts. The movie references the first film perfectly, allowing the events of that movie to inform everything in this one. It follows many story beats similar to the first one while allowing most of the film to feel new.
There’s also the fact that Gladiator II is the kind of movie that we rarely see anymore. Films set in this era are rare because the first Gladiator set the blueprint for it. Scott is back, firing on all cylinders with a film that could have been made in the early 2000s. Even the phenomenal cinematographer John Mathieson returned to helm this film. From action sequences filled with kinetic energy to powerful performances, Gladiator II makes its mark as a must-see movie of 2024. Action-packed, thrilling, and a must for fans of the original film.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Gladiator II review.
