By Robert Scucci
| Published
I had my reservations about streaming Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 after a trustworthy source told me that it wasn’t worth my time, and I’m glad that I felt the sliver of doubt that gave me the courage to watch the movie for myself and come up with my own opinion. Normally, I’m not a fan of legacy sequels, but I gave Gladiator a chance because even if it was only half as good as its predecessor, I’d be satisfied. Luckily, I got so much more than that, and I no longer trust my friend for having such terrible taste after unintentionally steering me in the wrong direction with my best interest in mind.
Expecting sepia-toned shots of rolling wheat fields over a backdrop of sullen Locrian moaning with the occasional fight sequence, I was pleasantly surprised by how little fat this movie had, and how intensely it built up to its third-act climax. I hate most movies that have runtimes longer than 90 minutes, but in this case I felt like every single moment in the film was necessary to its storytelling.
To answer Maximus Decimus Meridius’ question from the first film … yes, I was entertained.
Thank you for your service.
Picks Up Where The First Film Left Off
Gladiator 2 picks up 16 years after first film left off, and its core story mirrors its predecessor as Hanno (Paul Mescal) loses his wife Arishat (Yuval Gonen) in battle to General Acacius (Pedro Pascal), the Roman Army’s general. Sold into slavery, Hanno proves his worth to Marcinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave whose long game is to take over the entire Roman Empire by any means necessary. Impressed by Hanno’s rage, Macrinus offers him the opportunity to exact revenge against Acacius if he proves himself in the Colosseum.
Meanwhile, Acacius begins to have second thoughts about the current state of the Roman Empire, and grows tired of slaughtering countless men for his corrupt emperors, Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger), who have already set their sights on conquering Persia and India, which will lead to more unnecessary death. Acacius’ wife, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), has reason to believe that Hanno is actually her estranged son, Lucius Verus Aurelius, who she conceived with Russell Crowe’s Maximus Decimus Meridius before his death in the first film, because she sees how he possesses the same incorruptible, unbreakable spirit as his alleged father.
Stabbing and slicing his way to victory with each passing event, Hanno becomes a hero of the highest order as he pushes back against the Roman Empire with two goals in mind: revenge, and restoring the Roman Empire to its former glory.
Over-The-Top But Completely Necessary
Taking everything that worked from Gladiator and adding depth to its already intricate lore, Gladiator 2 is bigger, better, and badder than its predecessor without detracting from what made it so special in the first place.
The fight sequences alone in Gladiator 2 are worth your time, as Hanno finds himself biting baboons, throwing enemies overboard to be feasted upon by sharks during a naumachia, and going head to head with a rhinoceros when you thought the stakes couldn’t be raised any higher.
Each gladiatorial event is more absurd and complex than the one that precedes it, but not nearly as absurd as the political talk during the more quiet and contemplative moments. Behind closed doors, Marcinus makes his intentions to take over the empire clear, while General Acacius conspires to overthrow the emperors. Though my eyes tend to gloss over whenever I’m exposed to political double-speak, these sequences are so melodramatic and Shakespearian that they’re almost comedic in their delivery, which I think is by design.
In my mind, this sense of levity that was absent from the original Gladiator makes Gladiator 2 a cut above because it’s a stark contrast to the brutality found during the battle sequences, of which there is no shortage of gore and anguish to feast your eyes upon.
Streaming Gladiator 2
Gladiator 2 is a legacy sequel done right because it builds upon the first film’s lore, takes what works, and adds more depth to the inner workings of the Roman Empire in ways that are never overwhelming but always entertaining. Offering full disclosure, I am not a history buff, so I’m taking this film at face-value in the sense that I went into my viewing experience knowing full well that it’s probably an egregious exercise in anachronism. We’re talking about tall tales from thousands of years ago here, and while I’m sure Gladiator 2 is rife with historical inaccuracies, you need to treat films of this caliber as a work of fiction inspired by folklore, tall tales of heroism, and centuries of embellishment for the sake of allegorical entertainment.
Also, I don’t think the Ancient Romans spoke American English in AD 196, so if you’re not suspending just a little bit of disbelief, then what are you even watching this movie for?
As of this writing, you can stream Gladiator 2 on Paramount+.
