I heard nothing, but rave reviews for2000’s Gladiator is a classic and to this day Russel Crowe’s Maximus is an iconic character. However, despite me really liking the first movie and hearing many positive things about Gladiator II, this did not click with me at all.
How to Gladiator II
Gladiator II was released on November 22, 2024. You can expect to be able to or stream the film from Peacock in about two months from this date . Click on the ownload button at the end of this review and check the current availability.
The Movie Review
Hey, I am not saying it is a bad movie, but it is a movie that I felt did not need to exist. There are so many unnecessary sequels and I feel that Gladiator II is one of them. In theory, finding out about the ties that our new heroic gladiator, Lucius has to Maximus sounds cool. However, this and the other links to the previous movie just felt forced and like a wink and a nod to the audience.
The plot of the movie sees Lucius trying to live a good and simple life with his love when the Romans invade and take him to enslave him as a gladiator in the coliseum. Rome is now ruled by two twins who are ruthless and played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger. I really did not care for these characters at all. I so wanted to see Joaquin Phoenix get what was coming to him in the first movie, but here, I just did not care.
Weak Character Connections
That is probably the biggest problem that I had with Gladiator II, I just did not care enough about the characters. This movie clocks in at over two and a half hours and some of the scenes just go on forever and I still did not feel any more connection to the characters. Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius was by far my favorite character in the movie, but the rest did nothing for me.
Paul Mescal’s Lucius Compared to Maximus
I have heard so many people praise the hell out of the performance of Paul Mescal, but I just do not see the big deal here at all he and his character have one fifth of the screen presence that Russell Crowe as Maximus had to offer. If anything, there were times when he flat out felt like a poor imitation of Maximus.
Denzel Washington’s Role as Macrinus
My biggest disappointment had to be Denzel Washington. I love Denzel Washington, but his role here did not work for me at all. It was his American accent which just felt so out of place. I do think that the character of Macrinus in theory was a fantastic villain and you could certainly feel his cruelty coming through the screen. However, his American accent just took me out of being in ancient Rome nearly enough every time he spoke. I wonder why he did not try and do some kind of accent for the movie.
Spectacular Visuals and Epic Battles
Ok, so I have bitched a great deal about the many things that I did not like, but one thing I did love was the whole aesthetic of the movie! You see a glimpse of it in the trailer, but that naval battle was stunning, one of the best looking action sequences I have seen in a movie this year! There are many great battles here and they are very well done. This is one area where I do feel like they really wanted to up what was done in the original Gladiator.
Gladiator II for Stunning Home Viewing
If you want to see the visual spectacle for yourself, Gladiator II options will soon be available. Search for “ Gladiator II movie,” “Gladiator II 2024 full movie ,” or related to find the film on your preferred platform. Watching in HD or 4K is highly recommended to truly appreciate its breathtaking action sequences.
A Mixed Bag for Fans of the Original Gladiator
I do feel that I am in the minority here as all the “professional reviews” are mostly positive. I so wanted to love Gladiator II, but I honestly felt bored for most of the movie. The action scenes are fantastic, but the long drawn out dramatic scenes did next to nothing for me at all. I am not sure I will be in a rush to watch this again, but I do kind of want to see that naval battle scene in 4K at home as I bet it looks amazing!
