We are entertained, even if only slightly!
In the year 2000, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator shook the world of entertainment. Not only did it skyrocket the careers of all involved and take home the award for Best Picture, but it also revitalized the sword-and-sandal genre. These accomplishments are a tough act to follow regarding sequels but films The Godfather Part II and Top Gun: Maverick show that it is possible. Now, nineteen years later, Ridley Scott sits in the director’s chair again to take us back to Ancient Rome.
Twenty years after the events of the first film, Lucius, son of the late Maximus Decimus Meridius, is living outside of his once royal lifestyle. His new life changes when his fiancée dies in battle at the hands of the new Emperors of Rome. After he is captured and sold into slavery, Lucius trains to be a gladiator under the mentorship of his owner, Macrinus. Eventually, Lucius enters the Colosseum looking to fulfill his vengeance and return the power of Rome to its people. Does this sound familiar yet?
It is impossible to discuss Gladiator II without acknowledging the sequel that almost got the green light. After Gladiator’s release, Russell Crowe recruited musician Nick Cave to write a script for a direct sequel. This story saw Maxmimus being resurrected and tricked by the Gods to kill a Christian leader, who happens to be Maximus’s son reincarnated. This would eventually follow with Maximus being reincarnated as a soldier in the Crusades, Vietnam, and finally, in the present (2002), working at the Pentagon.
As bizarre as this story sounds, it is an interesting concept that would have made a fascinating piece of cinema. Sadly, Crowe turned down the script, claiming he did not understand it. This, along with more creative differences and studio exchanges, kept a proper sequel from being made. After being in purgatory for so long, does this sequel entertain and win the crowd? Well, yes and no.
There are sequences in Gladiator II that are stupendous, particularly the opening battle scene. The cinematography looks gorgeous, and the sweeping camera shots recapture that same epic feeling from the first film. Even instances like water drops on the camera lens make the scene bombastic. This scene, as well as some of the Colosseum scenes, feel like the sections where Scott and his crew put in all their effort. The rest is mainly a retelling of the first film, only this time with Lucius. Credit where credit is due, the story takes twists and turns in certain parts that keep it from being a carbon copy.
So, why does this film feel lesser than the first despite its pros? The inherent issue is that while Gladiator II is technically impressive, it lacks heart. Despite being two and a half hours long, the story feels rushed and forced, not properly earning its payoff. This can be seen in the film’s first plot point, where Lucius’s fiancée dies in the battle scene less than 5 minutes in. It is the scene that is supposed to set Lucius on his revenge quest, but it feels insubstantial, given her brief and rushed introduction.
The first film succeeded in making Maximus an honorable protagonist that was easy to invest in, thanks to Scott’s direction and Crowe’s performance. Granted, Maximus’s family do not appear much either, and speak even less. Their deaths impact on Maximus, however, feels present, especially when seeing him go through his trials. As a result, his victory and closure at the end feels earned. Sadly, it is difficult to feel the same investment in Gladiator II.
In fairness, the actors do a great job in their roles despite the flawed development. Paul Mescal easily carries the spirit and optimism originally portrayed in the first film by Spencer Treat Clark. Connie Nielson and Derek Jacobi, the only returning cast members, do a fantastic job adding gravitas to the scenes they are in. Even Pedro Pascal, one of the most high profile actors working today, brings an unrecognizable approach to his character. The standout of the cast, however, is Denzel Washington. His natural charisma easily outweighs his character’s background, which is basically an updated version of Oliver’s Reed’s Proximus.
One question many will have on their mind is whether Russell Crowe’s Maximus appears. Technically, he does, but not in the way that long-time fans are expecting. It is mostly in flashbacks and an oil-paint animated intro that blends too well with Ridley Scott’s production logo. It stylistically does not match the look of the film series and feels like an afterthought. Since this year’s Ancient Rome-set Caligula: The Ultimate Cut also had a bizarre, animated intro, was this supposed to be a trend? Perhaps it would be if this appears in an “ultimate cut” of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis.
There are also new scenes in which Nielson and Jacobi appear that act as a continuation of the first film’s climax. They unfortunately, and awkwardly, clash with the footage from the first film, and act more as disjointed sticky tape. This underlines another issue in that the film reminds audiences of the first film so much, it cannot have an identity of its own. Unlike Cave’s un-produced script, which continued the story using previous elements with intent, this film mostly plays the hits. It is unlikely that this is what Marcus Aurelius meant when he said, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”
Funny enough, there are instances in this film that echo elements found in Nick Cave’s script. These include the use of boats in a flooded Colosseum, a few appearances of a monkey, and trips to purgatory. These would have been more effective if they were in service of something. As they are, however, they only suggest what could have been a bizarre, yet intriguing, cinematic experience.
Gladiator II is a film that is entertaining enough but does not inspire. The elements for a great film are present, including charismatic acting, and a top-notch art design and effects. Sadly, the rushed nature of the story weighs it down from equaling the success of the first film. It may be Scott’s best film since The Last Duel, but it still could have been so much more. Proximo states in the first film that to win your freedom, you have to win the crowd. Well, the producers are already planning a third Gladiator film ahead of release. To follow up with a quote Marcus Aurelius, “the best answer to anger is silence.”
