• Release year: 2024
• Director: Ridley Scott.
• Producers: Lucy Fisher, David Franzoni, Michael Pruss, Ridley Scott and Douglas Wick.
• Screenplay by: David Scarpa.
• Cinematography by: John Mathieson.
• Music by: Harry Gregson-Williams.

Shotgun Commentary: if you are looking for another unforgettable film that destroys your soul forever, hate to break it to you, but this isn’t Gladiator (2000). If you just want some cool fighting scenes featuring gladiators, this is very much what you are looking for.

Review

Gladiator II is a crazy good action movie. There, said it. Are you going to get any of the emotional intensity from Gladiator? Hell no. But you will get some very satisfying fight scenes.

The experience of watching this film is a bit like the Roman’s experience of going to the Colosseum, despite the lack of real deaths, the aim is the same: you get to alleviate your thirst for blood and violence so that you can continue to be a peaceful, functioning member of society. Sort of like watching football, really, only with way better visuals.

Too much of a good thing

Remember Gladiator’s heart-wrenching story of revenge and hope? Good for you, but you don’t really need it here. Sure, you will hear “Now we are free” about a million times throughout this second instalment, but that’s about as deep as it goes. In fact, not only does it get repetitive, but it actually feels quite disrespectful… if that can be a thing for fictional characters.

Using the song of a fallen hero every single time Paul Mescal gets a splinter seems like a horrible misuse of the amazing emotional weapon they had. Kinda like trying to cut a steak with a chainsaw. Sure, the chainsaw cuts, but is it really necessary?

Furthermore, the final scene provides the perfect opportunity for that song to make you cry almost as much as the original instalment, but that power is spoiled by the amount of repetition. Had they just hinted the song from time to time instead of playing it over and over, the ending would’ve had its intended power.

What’s with the soundtrack?

Speaking of which, the initial credits scene also needs to be addressed. The imagery makes a summary of the ending of the 2000 movie through what looks like brush strokes. Thus far, all good.

However, if you are going to overuse “Now we are free”, why on earth would you pick a track that screams high intensity moment? The movie just started, and you automatically feel like either the Avengers are coming or Ethan Hunt (Mission Impossible saga) is about to defuse a bomb. Since neither of those are happening, maybe it would be a more suitable time to play the masterpiece you have at your disposal? Or literally anything else if we are being honest…

Beauty and violence

Moving on from the sound, let’s focus on the visuals. It is an absolute pleasure to announce that the cinematography is as flawless as in the original. In fact, it is a lot crisper. The colour palettes of each sequence are absolutely gorgeous, and the shots convey all the emotion that the text lacks. There is a black and white sequence that stands out particularly due to the superb balancing of the tones and the beauty of each shot. Is the moment particularly moving? Not really. Is it stunning? You bet.

It is important to address the fighting scenes, since the film seems to be essentially made of those alone. Ignoring the obvious thirst traps that characterise any gladiator-themed product, the action scenes of this feature are absolutely insane.

From a recreation of Voromir’s death (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001) to Jaws (1975), nearly anything you can possibly add to a gladiator fight is added. As well as, of course, awesome choreographies for both Lucius (Paul Mescal) and Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), just in case it’s not clear who you are supposed to be rooting for.

Big shoes to fill

As for the cast and character creation, it is very similar to the original film, only with a few key differences. Starting from the obvious, Paul Mescal does an excellent job portraying the bloodthirsty fighter in search for revenge. Sadly, he is not as charismatic as Russel Crowe, but this is not entirely his fault.

His character is a lot more unidimensional than Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe), and his path to become a hero isn’t nearly as complex and heartbreaking as Maximus, plus you have a bunch of Deadmeat (Hot Shots!, 1991) impersonators who make sure to say the most cliché lines of people about to die. Just to make sure that absolutely nothing in the film comes as a surprise.

As a result, you can’t possibly empathise with Lucius, he’s angry about deaths of people you barely know, sad about a past that is barely acknowledged or developed, and raging against… the machine?

The good, the bad, the lady

As for the rest of the characters, they are adequate, but don’t expect to be blown away. The emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are cheap versions of Commodus (Joaquin Fenix, Gladiator) with none of the slimy cunning but adding some undefined mental issues. As such, they not only look like half-cooked men, but also behave like half-cooked characters.

Needless to say, Pedro Pascal lights up any production he is in. His portrayal of Marcus as a soldier tired of fighting, and of life in general, has a strong resemblance to the grumpy space bounty hunter that made him so popular a few years ago (The Mandalorian, 2019-2023). Still, he has a few funny lines and a very relatable attitude, which gains him some affinity with the audience. Not as much as Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), though. The woman seems condemned to be stuck between emperors and gladiators for life, always paying for the pride of the men that surround her.

All in all, Gladiator II is a violent, gladiator-themed, action movie that is nowhere near the original instalment, but manages to deliver riveting fighting sequences. The stunning cinematography is one of its biggest attractions, almost making up for the non-stop repetition of the Gladiator’s theme. It is one thing to hint a song to get people in touch with their emotions, it’s another one entirely to wave the same song around every time something remotely emotional happens like it’s an “Applause” sign. Audiences can be guided, but don’t yell orders at them.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Great film idea: Sharknado in medieval ages.
• If an actor sounds cringe as hell when they yell, ask yourself, is that take really necessary?
• Stop trying to tell people what to feel and focus on the story you want to tell.
• Yes, that was Matt Lucas.

What’s your take? Have you watched Gladiator II? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀