The Wasteland Reviewer

Gladiator II (2024) Written Review

Was this long 24 year wait worth the effort? Gladiator is such a beloved film with its epic scale, classic revenge story, and impressive cast. Ridley Scott has shown time and time again that he can capture the grand scale of cinema. Gladiator is one of his crowning achievements and it is surprising to see that they finally got this sequel off the ground. Maximus Decimus Meridius may have died at the end of Gladiator, but the story of young Lucius (his son with Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla) was ripe for more epic scale thrills. 

What is the long-gestating story of Gladiator II? At the core of the film, Lucius has been long gone from Rome and living his life with his wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen). But when Rome comes knocking and his wife dies at the hands of Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius, we have a brand-new revenge epic to enjoy. Except the film turns into something completely different and abandons this well set up plot (ala Gangs of New York). What the film really is about is a grand scale political coup. Acacius and Lucilla stand to bring about Marcus Aurelius’ dream of a new Roman Republic. But Denzel Washington’s Macrinus is a devious and devilishly charming figure that has his own mission and plans to use Lucius (his new gladiator) as his weapon. Throw in a pair of unhinged twink twin emperors, Joseph Quinn’s Geta and Fred Hechinger’s Caracalla, and you have a wild ride. Lucius is also confronting his roots and connecting with Lucilla and discovering Maximus’ legacy. The plot is so scattered and there is certainly not enough depth to make this sequel as compelling or engaging as the original. 

Does Scott at least capture the scale and epic thrills of the original Gladiator? The way that Scott can capture the grand scale of the coliseum is impressive. As you follow Lucius into the arena, you can feel just how massive it truly is. There are moments where the CGI is effortlessly real but in others it is quite noticeable (like the baboons that are fought earlier in the film). The action is visceral and intense for sure (which is unsurprising if you have seen some of Scott’s recent work like The Last Duel). The sound design is great and captures the resonance of metal on metal as well as the crashing of large wooden ships. There is a much larger reliance on CGI as you witness a large sea battle at the beginning of the film and a collection of thousands of soldiers towards the end. One of the strongest elements of Gladiator was how real it felt. You certainly lose some of that here. But the pacing is great, and the excitement is there which makes this two-hour and twenty-eight-minute film move so well. Harry Gregson-Williams’ score is certainly effective but it becomes obvious that Hans Zimmer’s original score is much more dynamic when they begin to use it (and it elevates those moments so well).

Does this stacked cast live up to the talent? Paul Mescal is an impressively talented young actor for sure. He has his real moments of charm and intensity. But he is no Russell Crowe. It does not feel fair to compare but Lucius himself lives in the shadow of Maximus and Mescal’s performance suffers the same fate (in the shadow of Crowe’s). Pascal is empathetic and strong but is wholly under-utilized in a film that at first treats him like the main antagonist and soon throws him to the side. Nielsen does a fine job even if Lucilla as a character is underdeveloped this time around. Washington is a force for sure and brings all the attention in every scene to his over-the-top, showy, cunty, and flamboyant performance. He is a real highlight in a film where a lot of talent is underserved. Quinn and Hechinger ham it up for sure but don’t get much to work with at all (making them feel like cheap rip offs of Joaquin Phoenix’ Commodus). The cast does their best with little which makes for a fun experience but one lacking a lot of depth. 

Was Gladiator II worth the wait? No…and it certainly feels tired and overly reliant on the original film. It makes you wonder what could have been with Nick Cave’s wild script that would have seen Maximus travel the underworld and fight the Gods. Instead, audiences will be treated to a half-hearted yet entertaining thrill ride that will move. Just don’t ponder it too long…it will start to begin to lose its muster.