Review: Gladiator II

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Written by: David Scarpa

Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn

Rating: [3/5]

All empires, as history has repeatedly proven, carry an expiration date. A time when more weakness exists allowing those with the proper motivation the angle to burn it all down. The collapse of Rome has been documented by many and while what transpires in Gladiator II does not wholly display it, the cracks show themselves making for the most interesting aspect of its story. Well, other than the gladiator battles, of course. 

Sent away following the death of Commodus, Lucius (Paul Mescal) returns to Rome now as a slave following further conquests by the Roman Army. Now with plenty of vengeance as a motivation, he gets purchased by the conniving Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who has his own aims with his proximity to the twin brother emperors now ruling this Empire. 

Best Picture winners typically do not get sequels for many reasons, with one being the films that tell a singular story does not necessarily leave the door open for a continuation. Of all of them that could warrant one, Gladiator felt like the one that could because of the rich Roman history that writers could continually mine for more. Well it took almost 25 years, but here we have the continuation of the story started by Maximus Decimus Meridius and now taken over by a grown Lucius. 

Much like the first film, Gladiator II embarks on a narrative journey of balancing between both the politicking in the Roman Senate and some gnarly Gladiator battles as the Roman people get the entertainment they crave. We have our hero in Lucius doing all the dirty work, the new co-Emperors who could not care less for the welfare of this people, Connie Nielsen portraying Lucilla, but the major distinguishing factor we have to make this film stand out comes from the presence of the ever-impressive Denzel Washington as Macrinus. While having a prominent slave owner previously, Denzel got the opportunity to do something as Macrinus has some high aims. He does not view Lucius as some simple gladiator to make money from, which he has no problems doing, but also as a tool to elevate himself within the Roman Senate that allows Denzel to chew up the scenery in such an entertaining way. The way he saunters around in his robes, making bets and utilizing his sly vocabulary all makes this character’s addition one completely worthwhile. 

In addition, with technological advances, this feature sought to bring more imaginative sequences into these Gladiator battles that have long been documented in Roman history. This includes when the Romans would flood the coliseum to allow for ship battles as part of the entertainment for the people. Well, I doubt they had sharks, as this feature makes it more lively. It further displays that Gladiator II seeks to raise the stakes and make the battles within the Coliseum much more invigorating. A very much needed decision given that this feature does not carry the same emotional weight of its predecessor. With Maximus we felt this emotional journey of vengeance, and for Lucius it just never hit the same way. Perhaps this area gets sacrificed because of the amount of time we spend with Macrinus, Lucillla, and General Acacius (Pedro Pascal). Lucius, at times, feels like an afterthought and does not receive the depth a character leading this film should deserve. It felt like battle after battle without any real gravitas to it. Additionally, it does not help when the final moments of the film we have characters who have acted somewhat rationally throughout the film then lose their minds and act in ways not consistent at all with their character. 

While my review of Gladiator II feels like me comparing it to its predecessor, it proves difficult not to go down that road because of its many narrative similarities. Overall it comes across as a pale imitation of what came before, even if Ridley Scott returned to direct this sequel. However, it does pack its own punch, which allows me to appreciate what it brings to the table. This happens not only with the fun new battle sequences it brings within the Coliseum but with characters like General Acacius, who add an intriguing element to the story and, of course, Macrinus, who strides around stirring up drama wherever to benefit his own aims.