Gladiator II had a difficult (perhaps impossible) legacy to live up to, but Ridley Scott manages to do enough to keep audiences thoroughly entertained.
A sequel to Scott's 2000 hit Gladiator, this is an effective throwback to Hollywood's old-school historical-ish epics, finding strength in its glorious fighting set pieces and a taste for occasional silliness.
Maybe the film is more akin to the British filmmaker's recent ventures like Napoleon than a dignified Oscar-worthy drama. That's fine, but maybe it's why, despite generously bathing the story in fan service, this sequel lacks the emotional punch of its predecessor.
Though genuinely enjoyable and visually spectacular, Gladiator 2 might not be echoing in eternity.
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Set 20 years after the death of Russell Crowe's Maximus, Gladiator 2 follows a grown-up Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) as he is enslaved and sold as a gladiator.
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After escaping Rome as a child, Lucius found a new home in Numidia, in the north of Africa, but the ever-expanding Roman Empire destroyed his dreams of happiness by wrecking his home and killing his wife.
Filled with rage against the general of Rome's armies, Acacius (Pedro Pascal), the sole heir of former Emperor Marcus Aurelius makes his way to him one fight at a time in order to get his revenge. He eventually becomes an instrument for power-hungry businessman Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and his Machiavellian plans to seize control of the empire.
However, Lucius has yet to find his own destiny as he is reunited with his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and reminded of the not-so-lost legacy of his father.
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As revealed by one of the movie's promotional trailers last September, Lucius' father is Maximus, which officially confirms a popular theory fans have been talking about since the first movie.
From the very beginning, it is evident the sequel's entire existence relies on Gladiator nostalgia — from the recap-esque opening credits to multiple flashbacks throughout the story, recycled quotes and items like Maximus' armour and Marcus Aurelius' ring, and a pointed use of Hans Zimmer's iconic soundtrack.
It's almost as if the movie doesn't trust viewers to give a chance to a different story and set of characters, as it's only through the past that fans can engage with this new material.
Every nod to the original movie suggests a surprising lack of confidence, and every effort to link everything back to Maximus only leads to a disappointing development for the characters at hand.
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Paul Mescal's Lucius doesn't possess the gravitas of Maximus, and his hero's journey from spoiled child of the empire to political refugee to angry gladiator fails to feel truly compelling. No amount of fridging can change that.
There is also not a single scene even comparable to the magnitude of Gladiator's 'My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius', and that feels like a symptom of the inability of this sequel to create new unforgettable moments for the saga.
What partially saves the failings of the main character is Mescal's brutally physical performance, as he rises to a tricky challenge transformed into a bona fide movie star.
The rest of the cast just seem to be having more fun than Lucius, creating a weirdly watchable chaotic energy in the movie — Denzel Washington basically prances around Rome like a charismatic gangster, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger's twin Emperors Geta and Caracalla are having a party by playing ridiculously demented spoiled brats.
Meanwhile, Pedro Pascal doesn't have much to do with his tortured general, and Connie Nielsen fails to bring back her character's spirit. Rather than failings of the cast, though, this feels like a script problem, as the characters' dialogues and developments often fall flat.
Now, what Ridley Scott excels at is offering a good, spectacular time at the movies, and this is still true despite all the movie's flaws.
As the Colosseum is filled with blood and violence (and even with water as a ship battle becomes part of the show, sharks included), the story comes alive with breathtaking action set pieces. They are as vibrant, bloody and brutal as fans want and expect.
If you can get past the lack of emotional punch and connection with its characters, Gladiator 2 is a terrifically fun watch.
Gladiator II arrives in cinemas on November 15 in the UK, and on November 22 in the US.
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over eight years. Based in the UK, she is a former deputy movies editor at Digital Spy, and previously worked for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas. Mireia's work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema and GamesRadar+ in the UK. She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She's also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London. LinkedIn
