I watched the original, Best Picture Oscar-winning “Gladiator” for the first time a few months ago to get ready for director Ridley Scott’s sequel, and I’m so glad I did. Even though it takes place 16 years later, “Gladiator II” is a pretty direct follow-up.
The parallels to the first film and the story beats, especially in the first two-thirds, are so similar. You go along a journey of hopeful survival with Lucius (Paul Mescal) that heavily reminds you of what Maximus (Russell Crowe) went through. There are even a couple flashback clips to Crowe in the the original “Gladiator” that kind of give you chills. [It also made me appreciate that movie’s gritty cinematography even more. One of my only major complaints about “Gladiator II” is that it looks too polished and refined.]
The third act of “Gladiator II” is my favorite section because everything gets more and more interesting and it’s different from what we saw last time. The momentum is shaken up. No spoilers, but there’s certainly an unpredictability factor to Macrinus (played by a very free-spirited Denzel Washington). And there’s some legitimate heart to this film, especially thanks to the return of Connie Nielsen as Lucilla.
CBS aired a half-hour “making of” special the night I attended my “Gladiator II” screening. I’m relieved I watched this behind the scenes look after the movie because way too many story elements are given away. But it also made me appreciate the incredible set design even more. Scott made sure all the buildings were to real-life scale to enhance the historical accuracy. Unbelievable.
You can tell that Scott put a lot of care into “Gladiator II”, even beyond the violent and memorable fights and battles. This is the most focused film he’s made in a long time.
LCJ GRADE: B
Running Time: 148 min.