Here's What Critics Are Saying About 'Gladiator 2' Ahead Of Release

Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal In Gladiator II

Fans of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator were worried when the first trailer for its sequel dropped. While I thought it was actually a pretty good trailer, I agreed with most fans who thought the music was a poor fit. Why not use one of the original film’s classic instrumental tracks instead? The film has a terrific score and it would tap right into the nostalgia centers in our brains. Unforced errors abound in Hollywood.

Luckily, early impressions of the film are out on social media after the film’s premiere in Los Angeles, and they are almost universally positive, with critics raving about the sequel and the performances of the cast.

Erik Anderson of Awards Watch writes, “GLADIATOR II is a true epic and Ridley Scott’s best in years. Paul Mescal is a great action star without sacrificing his indie grit, a worthy heir to the throne. Denzel Washington EATS every line and costume without ever overplaying.”

“Ridley Scott returns to the Colesseum to prove to the world that HE'S. STILL. GOT. IT” writes Griffin Schiller. “Absolutely BUZZING after #GladiatorII! An EPIC shakespearean tale of hope, futility & power w/in a crumbling system. Denzel FEASTS in a showstopping, Machiavellian performance. What a picture!

“Engrave Denzel Washington’s name on the best supporting actor Oscar for ‘Gladiator 2‘ right this instance,” gushes Jillian Chilingerian from OffScreenCentral.

Gladiator II “serves up the richest feast in the epic action set pieces and deliciously ribald treachery,” writes critic Simon Thompson. “Dovetailing stylishly with the original, Paul Mescal leads a solid, stellar cast with aplomb. Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are a collective powerhouse”.

“Gladiator II is Ridley Scott’s best film since The Martian,” journalist Scott Menzel writes. “A big, bloody and bad ass action spectacle that builds upon the legacy of the original. The film showcases beautiful set pieces and a lot of epic battles. Paul Mescal shines. Denzel Washington chews up the scenery quite a bit here and looks like he is having the time of his life here.

Menzel, in a reply to a follower, notes that “Gladiator is the superior film. There is no doubt about that. The film feels similar in tone but with more craziness in terms of the battles.”

As expected, most critics—however positive—seem to agree. The original Gladiator is the better of the two films, and one thing this film simply can’t recapture is the powerful performance of Russell Crowe as Maximus.

Gladiator II “lacks the focus and emotional punch of the original,” writes Will Mavity, “and Mescal isn’t quite as captivating a lead here as Crowe was in the original, but it’s overflowing with memorable action and it’s got Denzel stealing the movie in soon to be one of his most iconic performances.”

“GLADIATOR II works best as an acting showcase for Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, & Joseph Quinn. It's largely uneven & lacks the emotional punch of the first film,” writes Andrew J. Salazar. “However, Ridley Scott's direction is unhinged, framing this as an epic Roman opera. The visuals get the job done.”

They are, indeed, pretty visuals at least in the stills we’ve seen. I was not at the premiere, so my review will have to wait until next month.

I recently rewatched Gladiator on 4k Blu-ray with Dolby surround sound and it was every bit as epic as I remembered from over two decades ago. Yes, the last time I saw the film was in theaters, which made a second viewing all the better as I’d forgotten just enough to make the whole story feel fresh. I will say that I remember at the time very much enjoying Gladiator but feeling that it lacked the emotional heft and resonance of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, which came out just a few years earlier and remains my standard for historical epics. Still, Gladiator was a terrific film and I’m more hopeful than ever that the sequel will at least be a worthy successor.

My one cause for concern is whether this movie needed a sequel to begin with. I recently listened to director Quentin Tarantino discuss the problem with sequels, and in particular how he believes Toy Story 3 is one of the best films ever made and wrapped up the trilogy perfectly. Why make Toy Story 4 when the story was finished? I agree. Toy Story 4 was okay, but in some ways cheapened the perfect ending to the previous film. Hopefully that won’t be the case with Gladiator II.

Gladiator II hits theaters on November 22nd. With such a positive early reaction—in stark contrast to the reaction to Ridley Scott’s recent historical epic flop, Napoleon—I have high hopes. This is dangerous, I know. One must keep one’s expectations in check. Always better to go in skeptical and walk out excited rather than to walk out with a crushing sense of disappointment.

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