Gladiator II

by Philip Price

Photo: Paramount Pictures

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington & Pedro Pascal 
Rated: R (strong bloody violence)
Runtime: 2 hours & 28 minutes

 
Like the lone conceit in this sequel that separates it from its predecessor, the makers of “Gladiator II” seem to want to disrupt the conventional expectations of the type of story that would guarantee them the budget needed to make a 20-year later follow-up to a sword and sandals epic yet must find a way to infiltrate said expectations with resistance - or at least some good ole' fashioned chicanery. Both within the context of the film and outside of it, this urge to take a different approach to the traditional hero's journey becomes the most fascinating aspect due to what it could have been were it allowed to breathe.

​It isn't until the film's second half that the wheels set in motion by some surprisingly disparate plot threads begin to come together that we feel a sense of what "could have been." Still, what Ridley Scott’s epic lacks in originality (or any sense of real depth) is made up for through its scale and sheer entertainment value. Sure, the CGI baboons and sharks are a tough break (from reality), but simply seeing the utilization of large sets and at least a couple hundred extras on screen is reason enough to call it fresh air, recycled as it may be.

Paul Mescal is a suitable fit for the armor, the fault that he's not the most engaging or charismatic person in the film being no fault of his performance but is instead a direct result of him having to go toe to toe with Denzel Washington every step of the way. Pedro Pascal’s sense of restraint and our lack of insight only make us wish there were more to his performance and character, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are having a blast. This is ultimately Denzel's show, though, and while I largely expected this to be a supporting role where Washington showed up for a few splashy scenes, took his paycheck, and left, it is anything but. One could argue this is Macrinus' movie and that it is Denzel's performance, operating as he does, that elevates the film from pure popcorn fluff to the stuff of genuine mythmaking.