Gladiator 2 is a show to be seen in the cinema (opinion)

When a second Gladiator film was announced in mid-2021, my first impulse was to ask myself “yeah, but for what?” Winner of five statuettes at the 2001 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott's epic had the necessary status to remain untouched in the history of cinema.

But as almost nothing is free from the dreaded sequels in Hollywood these days, Gladiator is getting its sequel this week in cinemas around the world – and, to my great surprise, I liked the result!

Starring the talented and strong Paul Mescal in the main role, a favorite of indie productions such as Normal People and Aftersun, Gladiator 2 returns with a new story of revenge, but with an even more ambitious execution from a 24 years more experienced Ridley Scott.

The sequel starts very differently from where the original ended. In the first feature, Maximus dies in the middle of the arena, after killing Emperor Commodus. Before giving himself up completely, the gladiator leaves a message asking that the “Rome of dreams” reign once again, free from corruption and tyranny.

About 20 years later, we see Rome in a decadent state being ruled by ruthless emperors, played by Fred Hechinger (The White Lotus) and Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things). In this scenario, we meet Lucius, son of Lucile and Maximus, now in his almost 30s.

After the events of the first film, his mother sends him away from the empire in order to protect him, as he would be the next in the sequence to inherit the role of emperor.

He grows up in a land still free from the Roman Empire, but everything changes when the army of the powerful Roman general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) “conquers” the region and takes him and other natives prisoners.

It is at this point that Lucius meets Macrinus, a former slave who now invests in gladiators to make a fortune and good contacts. Gaining ground in the fights in Rome, Mescal's character enters the empire with a plan of revenge.

An epic to see on the big screen

While the first feature ends with a glimmer of hope, the sequel shows that the empire followed a very different path – otherwise we wouldn't have history, obviously. Proof of this is that the first twenty minutes of the film are (literally) explosive and prepare you for what is to come – lots of blood, sweat, violence and… male muscles.

Cast-wise, the main connection between the two films is the return of Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, who unfortunately doesn't seem very comfortable in the role. The feeling is that she was always trying too hard to deliver the drama.

On the other hand, who really steals the show is Denzel Washington, who delivers a super charismatic character in contrast to the tension of the others. Word has it that the artist is tipped for a possible nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Oscars. We'll see.

It is worth mentioning that the sequel also does not have a great plot, but the script knew how to tread new paths without leaving behind the legacy of the original. Maximus, in fact, is always well remembered by all the characters.

As in the first film, Ridley also doesn't worry about developing the characters' stories too much in the sequel, which doesn't generate as much attachment on the part of the public. Although this aspect may discourage the most dramatic moviegoers, it is not something that hinders the experience. That's because The management makes it very clear from the beginning that the focus will be on the show.

In this sense, the strong point here is, by far, the action scenes. In Gladiator 2, Ridley Scott invests heavily in extravagant action moments, with eye-popping scenarios (there's even a naval battle in the Colosseum from 200 AD!). The fights can also be even more bloody and violent than those seen in the original feature.

Finally, Gladiator 2 is that blockbuster to watch and feel amazed by the grandeur from the cinema, enjoy the big screen and the immersive experience that the film promises (especially in IMAX). It will definitely be worth the price of admission.