Critics rave as "Gladiator 2" defies skeptics, dazzles audiences
Who was skeptical about reviving "Gladiator" after so many years? There was certainly no shortage of such people. Yet, as the official premiere in theaters approaches, words of admiration are multiplying.
11:38 AM EST, November 12, 2024
Let's recall that when the first news emerged about Ridley Scott planning to film a new installment of "Gladiator," not everyone was pleased. That's often the case when you touch a true pop culture classic. In fact, when the first trailer appeared online, there was a phenomenon called review bombing, with negative comments piling up about the production that no one had even seen at the time, all in an effort to discredit the film. Some viewers have already attended the first screenings of "Gladiator 2." Critics are delighted, but that doesn't mean there isn't a bit of criticism.
"Gladiator 2" - what are the critics saying?
The sequel to the Oscar-winning 2000 "Gladiator" has already garnered 77% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and an average score of 67 on Metacritic. Although some critics note that the film largely repeats the patterns of the original, most praise its spectacle and scale, which, let's add, came with a nearly $300 million budget.
The action of "Gladiator II" takes place a few years after the events of the first part. Lucius Verus, played by Paul Mescal, the son of Maximus, once portrayed by Russell Crowe, is forced to fight in the Colosseum after tyrannical Roman emperors conquer his homeland. General Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal, besieges Numidia—Lucius's home. Denzel Washington portrays Macrinus, a former slave who became a master of gladiators, delivering a rare role as a villain.
David Rooney of "The Hollywood Reporter" writes that "in terms of brutal spectacle, elaborate period reconstruction and vigorous set pieces requiring complex choreography, the sequel delivers what fans of its Oscar-winning 2000 predecessor will crave — battles, swordplay, bloodshed, Ancient Roman intrigue." Caryn James of the BBC praises Paul Mescal's performance, stating that he is "is the mesmerizing center of the film, holding it together with the same power and magnetism Russell Crowe brought to the original."
Despite some critical voices, like Alison Willmore of "New York Magazine," who notes that "the sequel has a less perfect balance between emotion and action than the first," however most reviewers believe Ridley Scott has once again delivered an impressive historical spectacle.
