Skip to main content

Gladiator 2 | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

 If you were to ask me “Are you not entertained?” during my time with Gladiator II, I would answer “I am, but only mildly”. Ridley Scott’s legacy sequel provides solid popcorn entertainment, but fails to fill the giant sandals of his best picture winning epic. 


Let’s be clear: Gladiator II isn’t a bad movie. The action is satisfying, the set-pieces are grand, and the performances are quite strong. However, it’s hard to escape the shadow of its predecessor, which is widely regarded by many as one of the greatest films of the 2000s. As an extension of the story and ideas the first film established, it works, but it lacks the emotional depth and thrill needed to get audiences invested in this new chapter. I wouldn’t go as far as calling it soulless, but it doesn’t strike me as being very inspired. The final act, while still entertaining, is also a lot sloppier than everything leading up to it. 


Ridley Scott is no stranger to crafting big, historical epics, and his experience shines through in the stunning production design here. The sets look incredible, the costumes remarkably detailed and the scale of every location feels so grand. It’s a far cry from historical accuracy, but in terms of pure spectacle, it delivers. The visual effects are mostly impressive, but lacklustre CGI took me right out of the immersion at times. This film has some of the best CGI animals I’ve ever seen (the rhino) and some of the worst (the sharks). 


The film’s protagonist, played by Paul Mescal, lacks the gravitas that Crowe brought to Maximus. While Mescal’s performance is expectedly sturdy, the script doesn’t give him the same kind of layered character arc that Crowe’s Maximus had. The characters surrounding him are far more enjoyable, brought to life by a mighty impressive cast. Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn steal every scene they’re in, with Pedro Pascal also offering a dependably strong turn. I honestly wish we got a little more from these supporting players, because their arcs were much more engaging than Mescal’s. 


Just as Aurelius had a dream of Rome, I had a dream of a better sequel. Gladiator II doesn’t deliver the kind of lasting impact or timeless legacy that made the first an all-time classic. If you’re here for spectacle and action, you’ll leave satisfied, but otherwise this follow up can’t escape the shadow Ridley Scott cast 24 years ago. 


3/5 




Review by: Benjamin Garrett



Popular posts from this blog

The Mandalorian Season 3 Review

  Listen, I love Star Wars. I will always love Star Wars.  The  original and prequel trilogies were a big part of my childhood, and helped shape my love of cinema. While  The   Mandalorian  isn’t among my favourites in  the  franchise, I thought it had a promising first season and a significantly stronger season two. Season three had so much potential, but a frustrating lack of focus held it back from greatness.  This show’s always had a bit of an identity crisis, but it’s never been as clear as it is here. Does it want to be a procedural-style adventure of  the  week, or tell an epic, multi-season spanning arc? Season one leaned toward  the  former, while Season two found a satisfying balance of both. Season three tries to find that balance, but  the  overarching story it wants to tell is bigger than  the  few episodes allotted to do so. There are only 8 chapters, some barely over 30 min. That’s a fair...
Read more

Boss Level Film Review

       Boss Level is a new addition to the time loop genre, with a twist. Ex-special forces officer, Roy Pulver, played by Frank Grillo, relives the same day until he dies. Every day he is hunted by assassins and when killed, he wakes up back in his bed where he started, only to have to try and survive all over again. Roy has no idea why he is stuck in this infinite time loop but he must do what he can to survive, and the longer he survives, the more he uncovers about his particular situation.  Unlike most action films that take time to build up, this film gets right into it and offers tons of non-stop combat sequences that would satisfy any lover of action films. Its erratic flow makes for some fun action scenes which come out of nowhere since Roy can expect the assassins to attack at any moment. If you play video games often and have ever been stuck on a level for hours or even days, you know the feeling of having to repeat the same thing over and over again u...
Read more

Better Man | Review by: Benjamin Garrett

  What at first feels like a CGI gimmick allows Better Man to climb and swing it’s way beyond standard biopic conventions. This larger than life musical is worth a watch even if, like me, you needed to ask “Who the hell is Robbie Williams?”.  A pop icon in the UK who didn’t quite make a household name for himself in North America, Robbie Williams bares his life (the good the bad and the drug fueled ugly) in this dazzling account of his rise to fame. Musician biopics often focus too heavily on the creation of the artist’s work, and not enough on the actual artist. Better Man gives audiences a sobering portrait of the man behind the monkey, with his songs placed in pivotal life and career moments to move the narrative forward. This works especially well if you aren’t entirely familiar with Williams’ work, because you won’t find yourself waiting to hear specific needle drops. Instead they flow organically into the story, with gorgeously choreographed musical numbers.  And bo...
Read more