When Gladiator came to theaters in 2000, it carved a place in cinematic history with its breathtaking battles, performances, and a story that left audiences chanting, “Are you not entertained?”
The story returns with Gladiator II. With a legacy as big as its protagonist, Gladiator sets a high bar for epics, putting actions with emotions. The sequel, written once again by Ridley Scott, promised a return to the colosseum of the Roman Empire, with a new generation stepping into the action. But does it honor the legacy of its predecessor, or is it just a cheap cash grab by Ridley Scott?
The story follows the same amount of time passed, making the audience feel like they have aged with the story. It begins with Maximus’s son, Lucius, who follows in his footsteps to the ring of the Colosseum.
Ridley Scott’s return to the Gladiator Franchise is a bold move, considering the other questionable series reboots out there (ghostbusters). And while it doesn’t fully capture the magic of its predecessor, it could very well be worse.
Picking up after 24 years with Lucius (Paul Mescal), the film produces very stunning visuals and lots of those intense battles from the first movie. Though the original had a lot of emotional depth that the second seemed to fail at, specifically with the stakes involved in the arena as the battles didn’t exactly have that same spark to it.
Although Mescal does an amazing job in Gladiator II from fights, to leadership, and empathetic, it did not capture the same magic Russell Crowe delivered in the first film with his charisma and character. This film struggles to find that same connection with the audience as Russell Crowe did in Gladiator I.
One thing I believe this movie did successfully was respect for the original. Rather than re-releasing the second movie with the same plot, it follows in the story that concluded Gladiator I, living in Maximus’s shadow. Lucius’s story brings lots of fresh themes that work amazingly with the plot. Some fresh themes are Identity and Legacy, where Lucius lives a normal life before entering the ring, unlike Maximus who was a prestigious general. However Lucius’s royal lineage creates a battle between identities for him.
A notable addition to the second movie is the focus on the accuracy of Rome. Many historians have noted Gladiator II is very historically accurate when it comes to the props, the battles, and the setting. The naval battles taken place in the colosseum did happen in ancient Rome. Exotic animal fights were also seen in Gladiator II, proven to be historically accurate.
In a time where production companies pump out soulless reboots that taint the image of its predecessor, Gladiator II is among the sequels that succeed as a sequel. It does justice to the original movie and builds upon what it was left off. Worth it? Absolutely, Especially if you were a fan of the original. Just don’t expect this movie to surpass the original Gladiator in any capacity.
