It has been twenty four years since “Gladiator” arrived and made Russell Crowe an Oscar Winner and took home Best Picture in the process.
With the arrival of “Gladiator II” Director Ridley Scott has crafted a visually captivating and energetic sequel to the original that holds up to and in some ways surpasses the original.
The story follows Lucian (Paul Mescal) now living in Africa under a new name and happily married from the chaos and corruption of Rome. It is revealed that twin Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), have plunged Rome into chaos where their lust for conquest has caused unrest and driven corruption to new levels which threatens the very stability of the city and empire.
General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) is tasked with conquering the last African holdout which in turn leads to tragedy for Lucius as he is taken captive and returned to Rome where he is in turn sold to Macrinus (Denzel Washington) who sees something in Lucius unaware of his true identity.
This complicated setup underscores the moving parts that put the characters into play as many are not what they appear to be as Lucius begins his battles in the games bent on revenge only to discover along the way that truths can lead to even bigger complications and that power can be almost as addictive a motivation as revenge.
While the film focuses on intense and well-staged battles in the Gladiator arena; there is also a power struggle playing out behind the scenes as schemes within schemes unfold leading to thrilling and dangerous scenarios which are not limited solely to the Gladiators.
The movie is engaging from the start as the opening battle sets the epic stage for the film well but it quickly establishes that this is a charter driven story and the focus is not mainly blood and battles as there are components of the larger story which focuses on the political and social scheming in Rome and how the lives of Gladiators was not just barbaric entertainment but a way for them to earn a path towards freedom and celebrity even if the odds were against their long-term survival.
The film moves at a steady pace and despite a run time over two and a half hours, I was hooked form the start and found the film even more engaging from a story perspective than the original even with the dramatic license that was taken with actual historical events.
The reported $300 million plus budget is on display from the start as the lavish visuals enhance the story and I can see the film getting notice come awards season not just for the visuals but for the strong performances throughout.
“Gladiator II” is the rare sequel that holds its own and in some cases builds on the original and delivers a thrilling and satisfying follow up to the original and is one of the best films of the year.
4.5 stars out of 5
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