If you are as surprised reading the above title as I was when I first discovered weeks ago that Gladiator II was even a thing, you certainly aren’t alone. While the sequel to 2000’s epic blockbuster Gladiator had been in the works as early as the year following the success of the original film, it would first have to survive a number of drastic rewrites, protagonist changes, and the sale of the film’s ‘s franchise rights from DreamWorks Pictures to Paramount Pictures in 2006, not to mention larger labour disputes.
It took several years of slow-cooking before director Ridley Scott and writers Peter Craig (The Batman, Top Gun: Maverick) and David Scarpa (Napoleon) managed to bring all the pieces together. Considering that earlier versions of Gladiator II’s script could have involved sci-fi and fantasy elements, such as immortality, as well as spiritual elements like resurrection and Christianity versus Paganism, it’s almost bizarre that the film turned out as it did. Gladiator II is as big, bold, bombastic and conventional a sequel as Hollywood films get, and, for the most part, that is a very good thing.
Set 20 years after the events of the original Gladiator—which culminated in the death of the film’s protagonist, Maximus, and its main villain, Commodus—Gladiator II centres on Lucius (Paul Mescal), the love child of Maximus and Lucilla (the latter played by Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film). As the grandson of Lucilla’s departed father and former emperor Marcus Aurelius, Lucius was fated to ascend to the throne at the end of Gladiator, but the power vacuum Maximus and Commodus left behind sparked a usurper’s run for power, immediately placing Lucius in danger.
“Gladiator II is as big, bold, bombastic, and conventional a sequel as Hollywood films get.”
To protect her son from those who would do him harm, Lucilla had her most trusted servants spirit Lucius away to the outskirts of Rome. When the Praetorian Guard inevitably came searching, Lucius fled on his own and ultimately reached the northwest African kingdom of Numidia.
Now, as an adult, Lucius has been embraced by the Numidians as “Hanno.” He has a wife and son and has ironically grown into a formidable warrior and commander defending Numidia against its sworn enemies, including Rome, the country of his birth. But when a Roman attack from the sea, led by General Marcus Acacius, penetrates Numidia’s city walls, Lucius’ wife is killed, and he is captured and sold into slavery.
After proving his skills as a warrior in the gladiator arena, he is purchased by the arms dealer Macrinus (Denzel Washington) and agrees to fight in Rome’s gladiatorial games on the condition that he will be granted the opportunity to kill Acacius, whom he witnessed give the order that led to his wife’s death during the battle of Numidia.
Plot-wise, Gladiator II feels like a predictable retread of its predecessor, at least on the surface. Much like Maximus in the first film, who sought vengeance for the murder of his wife and son, Lucius is motivated by the death of his wife (and presumably his son as well). And while a title like Gladiator naturally indicates that most of the principal action will take place within the arena, the idea of Lucius literally following in his father’s footsteps and fighting his way up through a series of gladiatorial battles in the very same coliseum where he once witnessed Maximus fight as a child feels a bit too on-the-nose.
The political situation is also strikingly similar to that of the first film, though more complicated. The dream envisioned by Emperor Marcus Aurelius of a peaceful, unified Rome under the Senate has been all but stamped out under the rule of its current co-emperors, twin brothers Geta and Caracalla. Even more conquest-obsessed, mentally unstable and power-drunk than Commodus, the co-Caesars wield full control over both the army and the Senate through leverage; General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) is married to Lucilla, so he dares not move against them. Meanwhile, the twins exploit both the significance of Lucilla’s bloodline and the General’s war-hero celebrity status to appease the masses and keep the Senate in line.
Thankfully, what Gladiator II lacks in originality, it more than makes up for with the strength of its cast and the top-tier audiovisual spectacle expected from a Ridley Scott film. Everything is bigger, more bombastic and amped up to 11.
“Director Scott’s use of practical and digital effects makes Gladiator II a visually stunning spectacle.”
Case in point: Paul Mescal is explosive as Lucius, bringing a new level of physicality to the conventional image of a “gladiator.” Perhaps owing to his tough, always-war-ready Numidian upbringing, Lucius is physically intimidating yet quick and scrappy. He’s as comfortable pummelling foes with his bare fists as he is running them through with a sword. When not wielding a weapon, his combat style resembles a mix of boxing, wrestling and MMA close-quarters techniques, injecting excitement into his one-on-one fights. Oh, and he also bites.
Of course, Mescal can act as well, and his voice lends Lucius the presence of an old soul. Like his father, Lucius excels at commanding others on the battlefield. But on film, he’s most interesting as a man of action, with few words.
Similarly, Denzel Washington as Macrinus brings an unexpected, disruptive energy to the film, which only grows darker as he draws closer to those with influence and power. As both a mentor and potential adversary to Lucius, Macrinus’ relationship with our hero reflects a darker version of the friendship between Maximus and the gladiator trainer Proximo from the first film. The nihilistic candour with which both parties treat their alliance as a business transaction that could go sideways at any time is compelling and, frankly, refreshing.
It’s impossible to watch the performances of the twin emperors, Geta and Caracalla (portrayed by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger respectively), without being reminded of Joaquin Phoenix’s memorable turn as the murderous, power-mad Commodus from the first film. However, Geta and Caracalla’s heavily powdered, ghost-like appearance, their collective strangeness (Caracalla often has a wild Capuchin monkey named Dondas on his shoulder), and their wildly erratic temperaments make for a more than acceptable substitute.
Quinn and Hechinger play their roles as sibling Caesars to the hilt, striking terror into the hearts of anyone who meets their gaze (unless it’s Lucius or Macrinus, of course). Their constant need to be “loved” by the people feeds into their delusions of power, making their actions unpredictable and dangerous to all around them, but also leaving them susceptible to manipulation by those with superior intellect. I particularly enjoyed Caracalla as a villain; his erratic, childlike behaviour would often throw a wrench (or sword) into the best-laid plans at a moment’s notice.
As mentioned earlier, Gladiator II is a sequel resplendent with Hollywood production values, practical and digital effects, a great-looking cast and a clear directive to deliver more action, and to do so in a bigger and grander fashion. The film’s opening, featuring the naval invasion of Numidia, is a fantastic set-piece designed to achieve just that, with a lengthy yet satisfyingly tense build-up to the siege battle in which the armies led by Marcus Acacius and Hanno (Lucius) clash. Featuring hundreds of soldiers, archers and flaming catapults on both sides, it’s an eye-watering showcase shot in just nine days on a Morocco set.
“Gladiator II is resplendent with Hollywood production values, practical effects, and a great-looking cast.”
Of course, audiences will primarily come to the film for the gladiatorial scenes, and they won’t be disappointed. Each successive battle heightens the stakes in an extravagant display, featuring convincing special effects, practical illusions, ferocious wild creatures, and the raw intensity of human violence. Without giving away too much, a 3D-printed, remote-controlled rhinoceros was even created for one of the matches. Director Scott and Paramount Pictures truly spared no expense.
The one major criticism I have with Gladiator II, beyond its more-than-subtle recycling of the original film’s plot, is the vagueness in how Lucius’ identity is handled as a plot device. The issue isn’t that Lucius’ true parentage is a secret; it isn’t, at least as far as the audience is concerned. In fact, it’s practically mentioned in every promotional trailer and synopsis for Gladiator II that’s been publicly available. Even the original film’s ending made it clear 24 years ago.
What’s annoying, however, is that the audience is forced to wait through several tedious scenes while the principal characters—other than Lucius—gradually catch up to what he and the viewers already know, a wait made even longer by Lucius denying the truth to the only person he can trust. It’s an immature choice that serves only the pacing of the plot rather than common sense or genuine emotion.
Those issues aside, I still highly recommend Gladiator II. While the film clearly retreads the premise of the original Gladiator and reuses several of its ideas, there is enough story to justify a glorious return to The Games as only Ridley Scott can portray them. The physical and acting performances by Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington alone are reason enough to purchase a ticket.
