Review: The long-awaited sequel to Gladiator has finally arrived. Are you going to be entertained?
Gladiator II follows Lucius (Paul Mescal), son of Maximus and Lucilla, who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman army led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal). Lucius seeks revenge against Acacius and fights as a gladiator for Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave who plans to overthrow the emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).
It's nearly 25 years since Russell Crowe starred in the first Gladiator movie and after the trailer for this Ridley Scott-directed dropped, some critics thought it looked like a retread of the first film.
I don't have a massive connection to the first film, so I may have missed some connections or Easter eggs obvious to its fans. Either way, Gladiator II has classic elements of a hero's journey. It's big and bold, but does drag a bit in the second half.
Mescal has presence and gravitas. Even if his performance does feel a little flat at times, he carries the film with confidence and he fills the shoes of Rusty Crowe pretty well.
Denzel Washington's flamboyance as gladiator owner Macrinus is total fun to watch. He has such intentionality with everything he does (it's Denzel, so of course) that makes you wonder what they left on the cutting room floor.
Pedro Pascal doesn't get heaps of play but he gives a solid performance for a character with minimal screen time. Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta has a sinister glee about him that's enticing to watch, while Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla gets a little old with his gimmick.
The battles are epic and huge. The sets look grand and tangible, particularly the Colosseum. I can't speak to the historical accuracy of riding rhinos in the Colosseum, but it's pretty cool to watch. Likewise, the naval battle scene is incredible and well-choreographed.
For all the action, Gladiator II has a slightly meandering pace with lots of broody moments from the key characters. It's a bit of a dad movie, but remains a worthy successor to the original.
Gladiator II (R16) is in NZ cinemas now.
