Age has been kind to both director Ridley Scott and his 2000 epic “Gladiator.”
Scott’s film earned Best Picture honors at the turn of the century, and it’s remained in the cultural conversation. (Can you say the same about “Moonlight,” “Crash” or, gasp, “The Shape of Water?”
That meant a sequel wasn’t just a possibility but a coup despite the franchise missing its two key attractions.
No Russell Crowe. No Joaquin Phoenix.
No problem, apparently.
“Gladiator 2” delivers a textbook sequel, unable to match the original but hardly a wasted affair. Scott may be 86, but he choreographs the mayhem like a 20-something hopped up on Fortnite and Rockstar.
It helps that Denzel Washington carries the film on his legendary shoulders.
Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius may have left this cinematic coil, but Paul Mescal steps into his sandals as Lucius. He’s a thoughtful warrior in love with his archer spouse (Yuval Gonen).
You don’t need a film history degree to sense her fate (Or just hit ‘play’ on the trailer). Before you can ask if you’re entertained poor Lucius is enslaved by dueling Roman emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger).
Lucius’s fighting skills earns him the respect of his captors. It also catches the eye of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, the key returnee from the original film). Her connection to our hero couldn’t be more obvious.
Lucius is too busy fighting for his life to care about his lineage. That includes a battle royale with monkey-like creatures you won’t find in any zoo.
Why Scott opted for fictional beasts is a question best left to the master. How he thought a Sharknado-style sequence would make his sequel soar demands a few stiff drinks.
“Gladiator 2” patches enough storylines together to support Scott’s muscular set pieces. The battles are bloody and consequential. Harry Gregson-Williams’ score is everything the grandiose action requires.
Yet everything on display is a lesser version of the original. Mescal, a solid presence and formidable fighter, is no Crowe. Who is, really?
The simpering emperors can’t duplicate Phoenix’s impish sneer.
The sequel’s sole advantage? A two-time Oscar winner finding the right tone for this gladiator romp. Washington plays Macrinus, the empire’s Don King-style promoter. He sees greatness in Lucius’ fighting style, and he hopes to use it to his advantage.
Would you bet against a Washington character? Ever?
Pedro Pascal plays the Roman warrior who helped make Lucius’s life a living hell. His Acacius isn’t the one-dimensional villain we expect, another element that elevates the sequel from a simple cash grab.
We didn’t need “Gladiator 2,” but you’ll leave the theater wishing more sequels were as satisfying.
The film’s unexpected treat? It couldn’t be intentional but the timing intrigues.
The film captures a Roman Empire in decline, tormented by elites who have run it into the proverbial ground. Lucius sparks a populist rebellion, targeting a ruling class that deserves everything coming to it.
Sound familiar, American voters?
HiT or Miss: “Gladiator 2” lacks the narrative heft of the 2000 original, a tepid complaint given the film’s burly sense of purpose.
