Summary
What if Pascal and Mescal? A lavish spectacle with memorable moments and nostalgic callbacks, this sequel captures some of the original’s grandeur but ultimately falls short of its iconic predecessor.
“Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?” It might seem odd to begin a review of a blockbuster film with a quote from an early-80s parody, but director Ridley Scott has certainly spent the last decade looking back. Between repeated explorations of the Alien universe and several historical epics, the long-awaited journey to GLADIATOR II seems almost inevitable.
Set 16 years after the events of the original, the Dream of Rome has soured under the warmongering rule of twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Weary after a brutal campaign in North Africa, General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal)—now the husband of Lucilla (returning cast member Connie Nielsen)—begins to plot rebellion against the twin tyrants.
Among the victims of that campaign was the wife of Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), a soldier with a hidden past who has been sold into gladiatorial slavery by Macrinus (Denzel Washington), an ex-slave with his own ambitions for the throne. The empire’s stability is threatened as these personal vendettas clash, in this life and the next.
Let’s address the elephant in the room: there’s little narrative justification for this sequel. Scott’s original film concluded its hero’s journey with finality, making it understandable that it took 24 years to attempt a follow-up. From an animated recap under the credits (styled like the iconic Scott Free production ident) to callbacks and cameos, the film leans heavily on nostalgia.
Like many Ancient Rome epics, GLADIATOR II is steeped in spectacle and excess, doubling down on familiar themes and bloodletting and pushing the clashes to their most extreme. While the overarching story might centre on the fate of the empire, the true heart of the spectacle lies in the arena. Scott kicks things off with a daring scene featuring a rider on a rhino, building to an epic sea battle with sharks—in a colosseum.
The reported $300 million budget is displayed with the lavishness of a Roman orgy, and for the most part, the effect is seamless; the empire feels like a living, breathing entity. Yet at times, like in Lucius’ initial fight with a pack of apes, the spectacle lacks a certain believability.
Mescal makes a strong successor to Crowe’s iconic character, commanding the screen with his own blend of swagger and scowl. While Pascal may feel like obligatory casting for a studio blockbuster at this point, Washington lends his significant gravitas to his role, playing an exaggerated, polyamorous scene-stealer—even though the studio reportedly cut a same-sex kiss before release.
The original Gladiator holds a special place in my heart. When it first came out on home release, it was one of the films my late grandfather often requested I put on, before his eventual mental and physical decline. So, Gladiator will always have a massive soft spot for me that no sequel can quite match. Even so, GLADIATOR II feels at best like a faint reflection of the original, and at worst like a greatest-hits package, too indebted to its predecessor to stand fully on its own.
2024 | USA, UK | DIRECTOR: Ridley Scott | WRITERS: David Scarpa (Story by Peter Craig and David Scarpa) | CAST: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington | DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures | RUNNING TIME: 148 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 14 November 2024 (Australia), 22 November 2024 (USA)
