I still remember roaming through the upcoming releases section on Movies.com in the early 2000s, seeing Gladiator II listed along with Indiana Jones 4 and Independence Day 2. While the latter two sequels eventually got made, Gladiator II seemed less and less likely to happen over the decades. The fact that Maximus died in the first film (spoilers?) already raised some questions. At one point, the plot supposedly would’ve seen Maximum getting resurrected and sent on a mission to assassinate Jesus. He winds up being cursed never to die, ultimately working for the Pentagon in the modern day. We’ll sadly never see that bonkers sequel, but Gladiator II is a welcome alternative.
After 24 years, Ridley Scott returns for a rip-roaring follow-up that matches its predecessor’s grand scale and pageantry. It’s bombastic, rousing, and self-serious while still being playfully silly. Compared to the original, Gladiator II doesn’t have as many moments or lines that are bound to go down as iconic. The story can also feel rushed, despite the nearly 150-minute runtime. On a sheer entertainment level, though, Scott still knows how to leave the crowds cheering.
Paul Mescal is in movie star mode as Lucius “Hanno” Verus, the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). Sent to Africa as a boy, Lucius must eventually follow in the footsteps of his father. Like Maximus, he loses his family, is sold into slavery, wins the admiration of the people in the arena, challenges authority, and gets himself pumped by rubbing his hands through the soil. This is essentially The Force Awakens of historical epics, which is entertainment in my book. While Gladiator II risks hitting too many familiar beats, it has a few secret ingredients.
Denzel Washington stands out as Macrinus, a grinning devil who charms, manipulates, and stabs his way to the top. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are highly amusing as a pair of extra emperors who still aren’t as over-the-top as half the cast of Megalopolis. The set pieces are the true star with Scott bringing sharks, rhinos, and naval battles to the Colosseum. It might not always be historically accurate, but it’s why we go to the movies. Gladiator arguably brought back the Hollywood epic. Troy, Alexander, and the Ben-Hur remake gradually killed it, although Gladiator II just might revive the genre again.
As enthralling as Gladiator II is, David Scarpa’s script isn’t on par with Scott’s direction. While the plot is solid, Scarpa speed-runs through several character arcs. The film sets up a conflict between Lucius, his mother, and her new husband Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal). Yet, Lucius’ grievances with these two are resolved rather suddenly. The third act also packs in several developments that could’ve been spread out across the first two acts. They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, although this film condenses the biggest twists into a half-hour. It builds to what seems poised to be a massive final battle, but instead boils down to a duel. Given the film’s inflated budget, maybe there wasn’t enough money left. For all the narrative shortcomings, Gladiator II is emotionally satisfying and doesn’t feel its length. It was worth the wait, and hopefully, we’ll get Gladiator III before 2048.