Gladiator II is watchable. It has its moments (see the opening epic showdown) but it feels too CGI polished, when compared to the grittiness of the original. It fails in comparison in almost every regard, from the acting, to the production values, only succeeding with its memorable score, which borrows heavily from the original.
Denzel Washington gives a thoroughly commanding performance as Macrinus (loosely inspired by the historical figure Marcus Opellius Macrinus), a former slave who plans to control Rome. And yet, his accent is distracting, too modern American for the role.
Paul Mescal is fine as Lucius Verus Aurelius / "Hanno." A gladiator (with ties to Maximus) in the Colosseum. He's very watchable, but inevitable comparisons with Russell Crowes's Maximus (from part one) are not favourable.
The CGI animals aren't entirely convincing either, and logic goes out the window when they fill the arena with water and bring ships in!
Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are fine as the camp, theatrical emperors but you can't help wonder how they became in charge of anything. Connie Nielsen returns as Lucilla but she isn't given anything significant to do, while Pedro Pascal is okay as her husband, General Acacius.
Passable, but a poor man's Gladiator (2000.)
FG FG F
OTHER CAST: Derek Jacobi, Joseph Quinn, Matt Lucas. DIRECTED BY: Ridley Scott. SCREENPLAY BY: David Scarpa. RUNNING TIME: 146 minutes. CERTIFICATE: 15 / R. UK / USA.
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