The Colosseum’s arena is flooded in a reenactment of a naval battle. The protagonist must lead his team of gladiators to survival in another match without the same resources as the opposers who rain arrows on them. To make things worse, sharks swim in the made-up ocean at their battlegrounds. The scene is from Ridley Scott’s ‘Gladiator II’ (2000), the sequel to his original ‘Gladiator’ (2000) starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. It is a decent sequel and the movie that brings grandiose to the silver screen this season.
The naval battle caused controversy, but historians have attested to the media that such reenactments were indeed held in the Colosseum. However, there are no records of sharks swimming there. Scott dismissed his critics. ‘Gladiator II’ should be seen as a spectacle cinema and not a documentary.
‘Gladiator II’ follows 16 years later the story of Maximus (Crowe) and Lucilla’s (Connie Nielsen) bastard child Lucius (Paul Mescal), who also goes by the pseudonym of Hanno. The cast is rounded up by Pedro Pascal playing General Acacius, the insane Emperor brothers Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), and an award-winning performance by Denzel Washington as arms-dealer and gladiator stable owner Macrinus.
But it is not only a follow-up to the original; it is also a homage to epic movies of the past, like ‘Ben-Hur’ (1959) and ‘Spartacus’ (1960) when a multitude of extras were available, and the scenarios were even better looking than the real thing. Much like them, the images of ‘Gladiator II’ appeal to the eyes because its cinematography achieves the status of art, as its shots could be images set in a museum or an art gallery.
Hollywood is having a hard time financing big-budget projects, and when it does, they are based on existing IP and not on new ideas. Still, ‘Gladiator II’ comes at a time when the spectacle of epic movies feels like shades of past cinema history and those who have access to hefty resources are wearing ultra-coloured spandex.
Meticulous care is taken with wardrobe and makeup, which helps differentiate the characters and the symbolisms involved in the narrative. The scenarios are also eye-catching and help immerse the reader further into the story.
‘Gladiator II’ isn’t a Shakespearean or an art-house movie, allowing it to be understood as entertainment. The acting is an asset of the film, Mescal confirms that he is able to be a blockbuster leading man and Washington shines in it. The script isn’t dense, nor should it be, to the point that the picture shines when there are fight scenes. On the other hand, there isn’t much depth in the political scheming scenes.
Washington gives one of his best performances in his career and steals the movie, which confirms his place in the picture that had been questioned by some audiences before seeing it due to his Blackness and American accent. Washington is dangerous and cunning in the picture. Still, Macrinus is very different from Alonzo Harris (Training Day) and Frank Lucas (American Gangster), and it is notable in how the actor modulates his voice, gestures, and eyes, confirming his status as one of the best to ever do it.
The effort put into building the spectacle of the movie is admirable. In the current era, many films don’t use many scenarios, and there aren’t many extras or investments into craft and technology to the point that they feel very similar, one trying to ride the coattails of the other until they tire the audiences. Together with the cast’s acting skills, budget, cinematography, and Scott’s direction, ‘Gladiator II’ stands above most epic movie attempts in recent years, in particular the remakes of Golden Age Hollywood epics or Gladiator-themed TV shows.
Although it doesn’t surpass the original, it is a decent sequel and worthy of being watched at movie theatres, particularly those with the best sound and image resources. ‘Gladiator II’ is an excellent sensorial experience.
(4 / 5)
