Like the emperor(s), “Gladiator II” is plagued with the same issues of Ridley Scott’s most recent work. When the film works, it’s quite entertaining, but too much feels like a lazy rehash of a story we’ve seen before.
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Mild spoilers ahead (though nothing the trailers didn’t already reveal).
I recently rewatched the original “Gladiator” to set myself up for success when going to the theater for its long-awaited sequel. Instead, I found myself wondering what happened to director Ridley Scott. The original “Gladiator,” released in 2000, is a borderline classic that stands the test of time. In contrast, some of Scott’s most recent work seems uninspired and grasping to be something it’s not. I’m specifically referencing “Napoleon,” “House of Gucci,” and now “Gladiator II.”
While “Gladiator II” has its grand moments that get you all giddy in your seat because the action is so epic, I mostly found myself bored in the “between” parts of this 150-minute movie. This film has pacing issues. “Gladiator II” ebbs and flows between one set-piece sequence to the next with no regard to the audience. A few of the story moments around the identity of Paul Mescal’s character, “Lucius,” specifically feel as if the writers thought they need to hold the audience‘s hand to the reveal, despite the trailers and all marketing material already revealing who he is.
On top of the pacing issues of the film, I never fully bought into the other story points around “Gladiator II.” Some narrative moments feel like a lazy retelling of the first film while others seem shoehorned in order to give the high-paid actors something to do.
Not all was bad. I found the action sequences in the Colosseum to be quite fun and brutal (the way they should be). I also feel that “Gladiator II” wouldn’t have been entertaining in the slightest had it not been for its incredible cast. Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Joseph Quinn all shine throughout the film. Some actors have more to do than others, but I especially enjoyed the performances from Washington and Quinn.
“Gladiator II” definitely doesn’t come close to being a worthy successor to its predecessor, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t mostly have a good time watching the brutal action sequences in the Colosseum.
SCORE: 3.5/5
“Gladiator II” is rated R and is now playing in theaters! There is no post-credit scene.
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