Gladiator II: Appealing Visuals but Appalling Story

Gladiator II is the second installment of Ridley Scott’s iconic Gladiator franchise. This movie sticks to the core concept of its first part, yet it tries to expand its world in new directions this time. Here’s my unbiased review of the movie.

TMJ Rating: 🍿🍿/ 5

The Plot of The Gladiator II

The story, which is set in Numidia around 200 AD, sixteen years after Maximus's death, focuses on Lucius Verus (Paul Escal), Maximus and Lucilla's son. General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades his house, murders Lucius's wife, and takes him into slavery.

Under the tutelage of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), the gladiator manager, Lucius emerges from the arena to seek revenge, both personally and to oppose Rome's corrupt twin emperors, Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger).

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The Cast of The Gladiator II

This ensemble cast lacks no talent or charisma required for an ancient Roman movie.  Paul Mescal has played Lucius Verus as the protagonist of the second movie after Maximus, I first noticed Mescal in Normal People, where he played a very quiet, emotional character, so seeing him take on full-scale action was a surprise and honestly, he did quite well for the way his role had been written.

Pedro Pascal, who has won the public’s appreciation from his portrayal of Red Viper to Agent Pena, has brought his magic back and oozes charisma as General Aracius. The only downside to his character remains the limited screen time he was given.

Denzel Washington as Macrinus is the best thing that has happened to this movie; he has this effortlessly cunning and mysterious vibe that reminded me of his role in The Equalizer. Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla isn’t just nostalgic, but she is the bridge that connects both parts in a logical and meaningful way. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger have played their roles flawlessly.

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The Cinematography

Most of the scenes reminded me of the first movie, looking at the scale and the grit, it delivers. There’s this shot of soldiers moving towards a coastal village in Numidia; the color scheme and the way the camera angles are planned are truly admirable.

The flooded Colosseum fights are probably one of their kind, which can’t be found in any historical movie. The part where they show the sharks is so beautifully shot. The Rhino Clash is easily an amazing upgrade from the first part; it seems too realistic and much better than what we were shown in the first installment.

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Should You Watch It? Yes!

If you loved the first Gladiator, this sequel is worth checking out just for the action and nostalgia. That being said, this movie might not be on par with the first part, but it is an entertaining watch nevertheless.