Gladiator II (2024)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Premise: A sequel to the 2000 film. Picking up the story sixteen years later, the Roman army conquers the North African kingdom of Numidia and a warrior (Paul Mescal) is enslaved as a gladiator. The fighter becomes the tool of a slaver (Denzel Washington) who has ambitions in Rome.
What Works: The ending of the original Gladiator did not suggest a sequel but the filmmakers have found a way to justify the follow up. Despite the quarter century between installments, Gladiator II feels of a piece with the first film and it builds upon its predecessor’s themes. The original picture was about the way politicians use the spectacle of violence as a mechanism of social control and the role of the warrior myth in society. Gladiator II takes those ideas further, suggesting that there is a limit to the power of spectacle; the people of Rome are starving while the ruling class enjoy a decadent lifestyle and the military is overextended in campaigns that have become an end in themselves. It’s a society strained to the brink and the political story is the most interesting aspect of Gladiator II. Disillusioned general Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and deposed royalty Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) plot to overthrow the corrupt Roman emperors Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) while the slaver Macrinus maneuvers his way into the court and angles for power. The characters form a web of interconnected interests and the filmmakers embrace moral ambiguity, giving Gladiator II a complexity that is different from the black and white ethos of a lot of these kinds of films. Denzel Washington is terrific as Macrinus; he’s a villain but Washington’s charisma and the way that character’s story fits into the overall themes makes him a fascinating character. Gladiator II also has some terrific technical qualities especially in the production design.
What Doesn’t: The weakest element of Gladiator II is the lead character. Actor Paul Mescal comes across as a less interesting version of Russell Crowe in the original film. Mescal does not have Crowe’s charisma and the script doesn’t do him many favors. The film suffers from a diverted focus. The original Gladiator had a specific conflict—Maximus’ quest for revenge—and worked up to its climactic duel. Gladiator II is a bit scattershot, partly owing to the many characters and their different desires. The fight sequences are as elaborate and violent as the first film but they rarely serve a narrative function. There’s no subtext to the set pieces and nothing bigger is at stake. The story lacks dramatic momentum. It’s not building toward anything. As a result, Gladiator II is emotionally flat. Like its predecessor, Gladiator II gives Rome a Hollywood ending. The original Gladiator was an unofficial remake of 1964’s The Fall of the Roman Empire but Gladiator omitted the fall and imagined the state saved and democracy preserved. Gladiator II also borrows elements of The Fall of the Roman Empire but in the end the filmmakers once again sidestep tragedy for a more palatable conclusion.
Bottom Line: Gladiator II is a competent and entertaining but unextraordinary sequel comparable to Jaws 2 and Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. It does the material well and justifies its existence but it never rises to the level of its predecessor.
Episode: #1026 (December 8, 2024)