The long-awaited sequel to 鈥淕ladiator鈥 didn鈥檛 make it into the Oscar arena this year but that doesn鈥檛 mean it lacks charm.
In many ways, it鈥檚 a second take on the first film (which won Best Picture).
In 鈥淕ladiator II,鈥 Paul Mescal is the outsider railing at a corrupt government. He鈥檚 the son of Maximus (Russell Crowe in the original) who has been prompted to leave his idyllic life in Numidia when a Roman army (led by Pedro Pascal) sweeps in and pulls Mescal鈥檚 Lucius into its breads and circuses. Quickly, he鈥檚 tossed into the Colosseum where he鈥檚 able to hold his own with a bunch of monkeys. Yup, monkeys.
Senators like this plucky gladiator and soon, he鈥檚 fighting all sorts of adversaries (including sharks鈥on鈥檛 ask). His mother (Connie Nielsen in one of the few returning performances) spots him immediately and wonders if, maybe, history can be changed.
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She鈥檚 under the thumb of twin emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger), however, who look like they鈥檙e wearing too much sunscreen and act like they鈥檝e attended too many Wine Wednesdays.
They鈥檙e easily influenced and that鈥檚 where Denzel Washington comes in. He plays Macrinus, a gladiator boss who has greater ambitions. He becomes Lucius鈥檚 owner and sees him as his way to the top.
Before long, he鈥檚 working senators to view his side of things and getting unchecked buy-in from most of them.
Director Ridley Scott knows which themes he needs to repeat from the first film but doesn鈥檛 quite have the money to make it seem as lavish. Special effects, as a result, look a little ragged while togas have a worn quality that might be found in Caesar鈥檚 Second-Hand Store.
鈥淕ladiator II鈥檚鈥 best moments come when Mescal is in play with Washington or Nielsen. He knows how to squeeze the sentiment (is it those puppy-dog eyes?) and give the story more than a little heft. He鈥檚 good in the arena, too, and captures just enough of Crowe鈥檚 swagger to make you believe there鈥檚 a connection.
鈥淕ladiator II鈥 thrives on blood 鈥 heads role, arms get sliced, arrows pierce everyone. But it鈥檚 not as repetitive as some war films. Here there are moments that get you to think about the mental games that are played and let you see just how lemming-like other senators have been.
Scott makes contemporary ties in salient ways but doesn鈥檛 let politics interfere with a crackling good story.
Moments from 鈥淪partacus,鈥 鈥淏en-Hur鈥 and other epics from the 1950s and 鈥60s come to mind as Mescal makes his way through the great balls of fire, jaws of death and those loopy twins. He tastes opium as well but knows there鈥檚 a greater purpose to fighting in an arena. Moments, in fact, look like they could have been cobbed from an episode of 鈥淪tar Wars.鈥 When Washington shows his hand, it鈥檚 just a matter of time before the commoners rebel and Lucius is in charge.
More could have been made of the gladiator鈥檚 life since the first film but much of this works, considering the goal is to get him in the lion鈥檚 den with those sharks.
鈥淕ladiator II鈥 didn鈥檛 need more than two decades to appear, but it does complete the story and give Mescal the kind of showcase that launched Crowe into a big, big career. Now it's his turn.
