The most iconic moment of the 2000s Gladiator the cinema juggernaut sees Russell CroweSkewering Maximus Decimus Meridius then decapitating some poor guy before he turns on the bloodthirsty spectators, demanding in a shrill voice: “Aren’t you amused?! Both for on-screen audiences and those watching in cinemas around the world at the time (and many more at home in the years that followed), the answer then was and remains a resounding: “ Yes, give us more! » But be careful what you wish for.

Nearly a quarter of a century later, Gladiator II asks roughly the same question, and even if the answer is again affirmative, this time there is a void in the debates which dampens enthusiasm. Yes, I’m amused, but I’m not moved, inspired, moved or anything else.

While Gladiator II is undeniably fun, it’s also very familiar. Returning director Ridley Scott and his team borrow many elements (and story beats) from their first installment but bring little in the way of new inspiration. Instead, the film differentiates itself by turning these familiar elements up to 11, at which point they become cartoonish and absurd (sharks in the Colosseum, anyone?). The result is a film that’s less satisfying than Rusty’s iconic belt of swords and sandals, but one that’s never less than highly entertaining.

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Return to Rome

It is curious that in the 24 years that have passed since GladiatorAfter Scott and Co came out, they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) come up with a second story. You would think that a world as rich, dynamic and complex as that dominated by the Roman Empire would have endless fascinating stories to tell.

Instead, we once again follow a badass, wronged and then enslaved by Rome, who swears revenge on a high-ranking Roman. In the meantime, he must fight in the gladiator arena. Of course, there’s also a lot of talk about the nobility of democracy and returning Rome to the people, but didn’t they fix that last time?

Here, our hero appears in the form of Paul Mescal. He plays Lucius, the child prince of Gladiator– who was apparently forced into exile after that film’s finale and has since led a pleasant, modest life. But after the Roman army goes on a rampage in its new home under the command of Pedro Pascal’s General Marcus Acacius, well, it’s time for some old-fashioned revenge.

While he can’t repeat the Oscar win Crowe received for his Roman excursion, Mescal makes the most of what he has to work with here, bringing the necessary physicality to the fight scenes and proving equally adept at ruminate quietly as he does. is a bellicose cry. His role lacks some of the depth of feeling contained in Crowe’s Maximus, but he is a perfectly acceptable substitute for most.

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Wicked Relish

The villains of the piece are more interesting. First, Denzel Washington doesn’t seem to have had this much fun since Training day. As the charming, scheming slave trader Macrinus – an ambitious man for the throne who sees Lucius as a tool he can use to climb Rome’s hierarchy – he’s clearly having fun.

Emperors Geta and Caracalla are just as fun and evil, although much more unhinged. These two deranged leaders are played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, both of whom seem to have seen Joaquin Phoenix’s reptilian turn as Gladiator‘s Commodus and said, “Hold my beer.”

While it’s somewhat confusing how these two could have risen to power after the events of the first film, it’s fascinating to watch their unhealthy codependency crumble as their deteriorating mental state wreaks havoc on Rome .

While Gladiator II‘s heroes embody a predictable stoicism, whenever Washington, Quinn or Hechinger are on screen there is the palpable feeling that anything can happen. I suppose that partly explains my disappointment with the film’s determination to rein in that sense of unpredictability in favor of closely following the formula of the first.

A flood of CGI

Speaking of which, when it comes to the spectacle we expect from a Gladiator following, there’s a certain harshness to the original that, unfortunately, just hasn’t been retained. It’s a shame that we now live in an age where CGI has made everything possible and yet our over-reliance on it removes the tangible feeling from so many modern action set pieces.

I’ll take the clever visual tricks that were deployed so Maximus could take on real tigers in this outing, computer-generated baboons, rhinos, and, yes, sharks, any day. There’s a whole naval battle fought in a flooded Colosseum – which the Romans actually did – but it just doesn’t work. I don’t know if the CGI looked ridiculous or if it’s just that my brain knows on some level that it couldn’t have been created outside of a computer. Either way, the urge to throw ever-greater spectacles onto the screen via CGI unfortunately doesn’t always translate into better action or a more enjoyable film. The effect is often quite the opposite.

Final verdict

Gladiator II will definitely entertain you, but probably only once. It’s hard to imagine that in a few years, when we have the choice of revisiting the story of Maximus or Lucius, anyone will choose the latter. For now, it’s worth checking out to see Denzel Washington revel in his own villainy and the satisfaction of sword-throwing that hasn’t been entirely weighed down by the value of a CGI rhino. I just hope they come up with a new story when they inevitably start creating Gladiator III.

★★★☆☆

Gladiator II is produced by Scott Free Productions, Red Wagon Entertainment and Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film was released in Australia on November 14 and stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington. It is a direct sequel to Gladiator (2000) and was written by David Scarpa from a story he wrote alongside Peter Craig.