Gladiator II. “I didn’t hate it” seems to be a compliment for this film as it has been panned by critics and audiences alike. I talked on my radio show that there are possible theories as to why. High expectations and box office costs cause viewers to demand a lot. Going in super low and watching it from the comfort of my own couch made it, well, not terrible.
Synopsis: After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find strength to return the glory of Rome to its people.
If you are looking for quality over quantity this is not it. This film was in need of quite a bit of editing and someone to take creative control over the absurd. Trim 40-minutes and you get rid of the eye rolling moments and still have a solid buck fifty of a film. Granted that does not fix the myriad of other problems, but it is a start.
The tie ins to the original Gladiator are decent and at times stirring. They are lost though in the muck of bad writing, over the top characters, and if you can believe it; sharks. Lucius (Paul Mescal) is a warrior with a heart that beats for loyalty and a better Rome. Lucius is taken as a Gladiator – pretty much a paid fighter who isn’t paid – by Macrinus (Denzel Washington). Lucius agrees to work for Macrinus if he is allowed the head of a Roman General named Acacius (Pedro Pascal) who destroyed Lucius’s village.
What everyone can agree on is that Rome is under horrible leadership. Two idiotic Emperor twins named Gala (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). These two are as devious as they are deviant. They are the stereotypical Roman gluttons with no regard for life or morals. Acacius wants to break free of the current regime, Macrinus wants power, and Lucius wants revenge. Not a bad plot recipe for an action packed adventure.
As you watch this film you sort of get the feeling that no one cared about what happened on screen. The actors do not sound Roman, the antics that take place in the colosseum are a mix of Jaws meets Phantom Menace meets Jurassic Park. It is so ludicrous it robs the film and story of any validity.
This will be the first review where I have used the words Denzel and laughable in the same sentence. But he is. There is nothing remotely Roman about his look or his accent. And no one seems to bother to fix it. He is Denzel being every bad impersonation of Denzel we have seen. Pedro Pascal is a bit better and you sort of feel for his character and journey. The only one deserving of a cheer is Paul Mescal. I actually enjoyed watching him and his character. I only wish they had given him a better film and script to play with.
Gladiator movies need a lot of fighting and sword play. This one has it. The problem is the setting which the fights take place. It feel like Ridley Scott (Director) thought audiences would not be happy with the old fashion duels. He was wrong. That would have been so much better than the spectacle we got.
So why did I like it? I didn’t say I did. I said I didn’t hate it. Knowing what was coming and having the ability to check out of the worst parts and focus on only the pieces that worked made the experience not as horrible. If you decided not to see it in theaters after hearing all the negative review, I suggest giving it a shot once it hits streaming. You may still be frustrated with it but you might also get small doses of honor.
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