What is Gladiator II about?

Gladiator II is about Hanno (Paul Mescal), a Numidian soldier who hates Rome. After his wife is killed and he is caught in battle with General Acacius (Pedro Pascal), he vows to decapitate her. Forced to become a gladiator in the stables of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), Hanno becomes a favorite of the crowd, and soon it is revealed that he is the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), making him heir to the throne of Rome. goes. Now, rival factions want to use him to seize power against the twin emperors – Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger).

From the story to its background score, Gladiator II fails to compare to Part 1. Each character here appears to be a substitute for someone from Gladiator – Hanno for Maximus, Geta for Commodus, Lucilla for himself, and so on. The comparisons don’t help the cause of the film as it is a very good standalone film. In itself, Gladiator II is one of the better films of 2024 – visually stunning, entertaining, well-characterized, and effectively humanizing the politics of the time.

What works and what doesn’t

What particularly works against Gladiator II is that everything that makes the film great is a callback to the first film. Whether it’s shots of Maximus in the arena, the score to the climax of Part 1, or Hanno slipping in a line ‘in this life or the next’, the film’s best moments are reminiscent of its predecessor. There is nothing remarkable in it that can make it stand out in itself.

Still, despite this, Gladiator II is not a bad film. It has a tight script that overcomplicates things at times but stays true to its objective. The characters are layered, and the conflicts feel real. It also allows for some misdirection, letting you see Joseph Quinn’s Emperor Gato as the big bad while Denzel hides in the shadows. It does all this beautifully but then also slips into some huge disregards of logic, where people can march hundreds of miles in a matter of hours, and soldiers stand around watching the generals fight.

The USP of Gladiator II is its visual appeal. Rome and the Roman Empire have never looked so decadent. Scott instills hatred towards this rotting monster in every frame, and fills us with the same anger that Hanno has for the city and its rulers. These games are a step up from what we’ve seen so far, with Scott doing everything he can to raise the bar in that department. Sure, historians may disagree with the use of sharks and baboons, but I don’t go and watch a Ridley Scott movie in IMAX for a history lesson.

The gray zone in which all the characters live makes Gladiator II more interesting than its predecessor. Here, no one is really right. Even our hero Hanno may irritate you with his hatred towards General Acacius, a just man caught in an unjust role. But it’s Denzel who gets the most delicious role to play, and the veteran shows what he’s made of, delivering the film’s standout performance. Pedro Pascal is not far behind. However, Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn suffer as their characters are limited to Maximus-lite and Commodus-lite. Young actors try. But clearly, the director chose fan service over content here.

to sum it up

Gladiator II is a great watch for those who haven’t seen the first part. It’s grander, more spectacular, and even more awe-inspiring than the first one, which kicks it up a few notches in every department. But alas, the comparisons – clearly intended by the makers – sink it. Furthermore, Ridley Scott has become the latest filmmaker to be hit by Game of Thrones syndrome. He introduces the main characters into the film and kills them off so casually that it loses its novelty very quickly. Gladiator II is a film for its time, but not a film for all time.