More than two decades later, the long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning epic has arrived, once again bringing to life the arena of Rome and the deadly gladiatorial games. This time around, the film follows Lucius Verus, a former heir to the Roman Empire, as he blazes through the arenas.

Twenty-five years after Maximus gave his life for the Roman dream of freedom, Rome has found herself embroiled in tyranny and oppression as twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) rise to power. Lucius (Paul Mescal as adult, Alfie Tempest as child) is sent away by his mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) for his protection, as he is the sole heir to the throne. When a Roman army invades his home and kills his wife, Lucius is taken prisoner and becomes a gladiator, vowing to seek revenge against the Romans, particularly General Acacius (Pedro Pascal), who leads the invasion. Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave who has become a slave trader with vicious ambitions, becomes Lucius’ ticket to vengeance.

Gladiator II is a spectacle to behold on the big screen. Director Ridley Scott is at his best when he builds worlds, and in this sequel, he successfully revisits Ancient Rome, realising the chaos and madness of the city at the brink of collapse, where the Colosseum is filled with water and naval battles are re-enacted to quench the emperors’ thirst for entertainment and bloodshed. Battle sequences are directed with heft and a sense of scale, balancing the big, wide shots with the up-close ones, unabashedly allowing the bloodiness and messiness of warfare to come across honestly on screen. The opening naval battle sequence is a prime example of that masterful direction that Scott has demonstrated time and time again with films like the original Gladiator and the more recent Napoleon biopic.

On the downside, however, the sequel once again proves that Ridley Scott is no longer the same director he was when he helmed the original film. His recent films indicate a trend of declining coherence in his direction. Films like House of Gucci and Napoleon often suffer from a lack of motivation for key moments and feel like a string of events happening one after another, which alienates viewers. Gladiator II improves upon this, but it is the main character, Lucius, who lacks motivation this time around.

The film starts off strong (though it plays almost beat-for-beat with the original), but it unfortunately muddles its waters in the second act regarding Lucius’ motivation and drive, leaving the character arc less impactful and emotional than it could have been. I never buy into his conflicted feelings about his mother or his belief in the Roman dream as I did with Maximus in the first film. Lacking a well-motivated central character arc, the film loses the pivot around which it should revolve, resulting in a lack of emotional heft in the third act, particularly during the climax.

Perhaps a controversial opinion, but Russell Crowe’s performance in the original feels wooden and the number of awards it garnered is baffling to me. In that respect, Paul Mescal is a significant improvement despite the letdown in the character’s writing. Ferocious and physical when required, Mescal can also be gentle in quieter scenes, bringing sombreness and tragic self-deprecation in equal parts. However, an unmotivated character arc inevitably leads to a lack of charisma and rallying power in Lucius’ speeches. Mescal ploughs through them as if reading directly from the script, and I often find myself losing focus of him in the frame as he unintentionally blends in too much with the rest of his comrades. This is a shame as I genuinely do not believe it to be Mescal’s fault but rather a consequence of the writing and overall direction of his arc.

Denzel Washington, as the slave trader Macrinus, is scene-stealing and a delight to watch. Whenever he appears on screen, the film lights up immediately. Washington commands the screen with such charismatic presence that the cameras seem to revolve around him whenever he appears. Donning a wall-to-wall grin and his signature gesture of folded hands, Washington is politely menacing, occasionally reminding me of Christoph Waltz’s Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds. And, just as with Waltz, I suspect a flurry of awards will come Washington’s way during next year’s award season.

Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger’s twin evil emperors are exactly what we expect them to be – and then some: campy and gloriously mad. The most understated performance in the film belongs to Alexander Karim as Ravi, a doctor who serves wounded combatants. Karim brings levity and charm while also serving as an important thematic link between the two protagonists of the both films, despite his minimal screentime.

All in all, Gladiator II is a spectacle and cinematic feast for the senses, though it lacks emotional heft and the character motivation needed for it to work. Apparently, a sequel is in the works. Here’s hoping that Scott fully returns to form.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)