By George & Josh Bate
Few directors have filmographies as illustrious and diverse as Ridley Scott. The same man who defined the sci-fi horror genre with Alien also told a historical epic set in second-century Rome with Gladiator, created one of the greatest science fiction films ever made with Blade Runner, captivated with his depiction of the Battle of Mogadishu in Black Hawk Down, and crafted the essential buddy crime drama with Thelma & Louise. It is not just the number of his films truly deserving of the label ‘iconic’ that are impressive – it is also the sheer variability across Scott’s array of projects. Now at 86-years-old, Scott is mind-bogglingly more prolific than ever, directing four movies and producing 13 in the past five years. And, just like how Scott revisited the Alien franchise with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, the director returns to continue the legacy of one of his greatest films. Enter Gladiator II.
Written by David Scarpa (who previously wrote screenplays for Scott’s All the Money in the World and Napoleon), Gladiator II picks up over 20 years after the events of Gladiator and the death of Russell Crowe’s character Maximus. His son and the former heir to the Roman Empire Lucius (now played by Paul Mescal rather than young Spencer Treat Clark in the first film) lives a quiet life with his wife far beyond Rome and his mother Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen) in Numidia. Lucius’ tranquil life is suddenly upended when Roman General Marcus Acacius (played by Pedro Pascal) launches an attack that results in the death of Lucius’ wife and Lucius’ enslavement. Now, fighting as a gladiator under the mentorship of Macrinus (played by Denzel Washington), Lucius vows to get his revenge for the death of his wife by killing General Acacius.
Some (including us) questioned whether a sequel to Gladiator was really necessary. Although a follow-up to the Best Picture winner was discussed as early as 2001, there always seemed to be difficulties landing on a story that was worth telling. Now though, over 20 years later, Gladiator II is here and, rest-assured, it is an action epic that more than justifies its existence.
Narratively and tonally, Gladiator II plays out fairly similarly to the original movie. A man is unjustly enslaved and becomes a gladiator after a great personal tragedy. Indeed, as this sequel progresses, admirers of its predecessor will notice how many plot beats and moments the two films share. Feeling so similar to a classic like Gladiator could spell trouble in less capable hands, but Scott confidently and successfully takes on the challenge. In some ways, Gladiator II feels like a more streamlined film than Gladiator. Whereas the first film was an epic and sprawling historical drama, this sequel plays more like a fast-paced action movie, filled to the brim with excellently choreographed action set-pieces. The revenge storyline driving the central narrative is about as straightforward as a plot can be, while the political maneuvering takes somewhat of a backseat (at least until the final act). What results is a movie that doesn’t earn plaudits for novelty nor profound emotionality, but one that captivates from the very beginning nonetheless.
Triumphantly leading the film is Paul Mescal, who steps into the mammoth shoes of Russell Crowe and Maximus from Gladiator. Mescal proves that he is one of the most talented young actors working today with a performance that fits perfectly into the film Scott tried to make. Mescal brings a physicality and rawness to Lucius, qualities that are evident fairly early on in the film as he commands an assault against Roman soldiers and even takes a bite out of an ape during a colosseum duel. The dialogue may be stiff at times, but Mescal delivers his lines in a way that always grounds the film around him to a halt. Something about his performance just makes one hone in and listen attentively to every word he says in the film, with Mescal delivering Lucius’ lines with real purpose and weight. It is not the kind of performance that is going to get Mescal an Oscar, although it is one that continues to highlight the actor’s growing star power.
While the pursuit of revenge is the driving force that propels the narrative forward, this plotline lacks dramatic weight. The film spends very little time with Lucius’ wife before she dies and, with no flashbacks thereafter, the audience doesn’t quite get to feel the gravity of emotions Lucius experiences. Mescal does his best with the material given to him, and it is through his performance that this central revenge plot gains any emotional investment at all. But, especially when compared to some other revenge movies, Gladiator II isn’t as gut-wrenching.
Running parallel to Lucius’ pursuit of revenge is a plotline focused on Pedro Pascal’s Marcus Acacius. The Roman general could easily be mistaken for the film’s main villain based on promotional material, but the role Pascal’s character plays is far more nuanced than that. Despite leading the attack on Numidia that resulted in the death of Lucius’ wife, Acacius is secretly opposed to the twin emperors Caracalla and Geta (played by Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn respectively). From behind the scenes, Acacius plots to overthrow the emperors using Lucilla’s help and an army of soldiers loyal to him. This makes for a unique twist on a revenge plot, one in which the target of revenge (aka Pascal’s Acacius) isn’t necessarily deserving of such a pursuit. Unfortunately, the plot surrounding Acacius ends up being more interesting than the character himself. Although the film begins in a manner that suggests it will be a relentless revenge tale pitting Lucius against Acacius, Pascal’s character ultimately plays a far less notable role than expected. An actor of Pascal’s caliber is crying out for a meatier role here, but does not find that in the bland Acacius.
Far from bland, though, are some of the film’s other supporting performances. As mentioned, Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn and The White Lotus’ Fred Hechinger play the villainous emperors ruling over Rome and, given the surprising integrity of Pascal’s character, serve as the primary antagonists for much of the film. Quinn and Hechinger superbly play off one another and capture a twisted Beavis and Butt-Head energy with their villainous characters. In addition to their off-putting pale skin and ill-fitting red hair, the emperors have a nonchalant, callous nature in the face of violence, a sort of Joker-esque quality. The two make for delightfully evil and over-the-top villains, which represent a shift from the stoic performances of Mescal and Pascal.
Going even more over-the-top than Quinn and Hechinger with his performance is Denzel Washington, who plays Macrinus. An outgoing figure with all sorts of idiosyncratic quirks, Macrinus keeps a stable of gladiators, which include Mescal’s Lucius character. To say that Washington chews up the scenery would be an understatement as the esteemed actor takes full advantage of every moment he has in the film. Washington seems to be having more fun than he has had with a performance for years, even though his performance occasionally becomes too overtly comedic and, at times, it feels like he is in a different movie than anyone else. Nonetheless, opportunities to enjoy this colorful side of Washington’s acting repertoire increase in the third act with some surprising plot shifts that position his character more centrally. Although this shift means the film briefly loses steam, it soon regains its footing for a resounding finale that hits differently than the ending of its predecessor.
From the resounding finale to everything that comes before it, Gladiator II’s greatest achievement may be its action. Scott shoots the combat scenes (of which there are many) with outstanding vibrancy and intimacy. Elevated by excellent sound design and choreography, each blow feels so real and makes the fight sequences true edge-of-your-seat material. Everyone heading into a Gladiator movie can reasonably expect there will be action, but what Scott does here is pivot away from the historical drama elements in favor of making an all-out action movie. And, with that, he excels.
VERDICT: 7.5/10
Gladiator II sees Ridley Scott return to one of his most iconic films and continue the legacy of Maximus with a fast-paced two-and-a-half hour action epic. Indeed, playing less like a historical drama and more like an all-out action movie, Scott’s sequel manages to largely subvert issues that come with a conventional revenge story that fails to emotionally grip and a narrative that borrows a number of elements from the previous movie. Paul Mescal triumphs with a unique rawness and physicality that make Lucius a compelling lead on par with Crowe’s Maximus. While Pedro Pascal has a disappointingly hollow role, Denzel Washington brings an eccentricity that entertains, even if it doesn’t always feel like he’s in the same movie as everyone else. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, meanwhile, find a better balance of outgoing and unusual as villainous twin emperors reminiscent of Beavis and Butt-Head. While not nearly as groundbreaking as the original, Gladiator II is another win for Ridley Scott, the director’s best film since The Martian, and the year’s must-see action movie.