This past Saturday evening, my mom and visited our local theatre to see Gladiator II. I’ve seen the first, much like most people, and while my mom enjoys Medieval settings in television and film, I wouldn’t say it is necessarily her favourite. So, she was a real trooper and took one for the team because she knew I desperately wanted to see it before it left theatres.
I figured it would be a solid movie because the first was incredible, and you can’t exactly go about making a sequel without ensuring it is as excellent as the first. Not an easy feat by any means, because, unfortunately, many classic films that have had sequels made end up having absolutely terrible ones which consequently affects the original. But, when I tell you that the second installment in the Gladiator series is just as good as the first, please believe me.
The film stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, a young warrior who is taken captive by the Roman army. He becomes a slave and, in turn, a gladiator and is expected to fight for his life, and freedom, in the Colosseum. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t yet seen it, so, SPOILER ALERT, Lucius is the son of Maximus, played by Russel Crowe in the original film.
Mescal’s performance is absolutely fucking excellent. The guy truly nailed it, and he reminded me so much of Russel Crowe as Maximus it wasn’t funny. Pedro Pascal is phenomenal in his portrayal of Acacius, as is Denzel Washington as Macrinus.
The movie is quite gory at times, but I honestly figured it would be far bloodier than it is. My poor mother was green at moments, and one scene in particular involving a rhino almost had her tossing her cookies. But, she was a trooper, and we both loved this movie.
Photo by Daniel Azevedo on Unsplash
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