Gladiator II Review: You Will Be Entertained By Prepare to be entertained by . Director crafts a sequel to his iconic 2000 film starring Russell Crowe. This movie stars as Lucius Verus, a young boy from the first film, now grown and sold into slavery to become a gladiator in the Roman Colosseum.
Few films have gained the love and respect that has had over the years, so a sequel is no easy task. While this movie is not as good as the first, it remains a thrilling swords-and-sandals epic that delivers on nearly every level. I want to remind the world that Ridley Scott is 86 years old.
He directs with a prowess unheard of for many directors in their 30s. He’s had his hits and misses, but his work has always looked splendid. Gladiator II is no exception.
The film opens with an action set piece brimming with energy and violence. The battles and violence were always a highlight of the first Gladiator film, and this movie improves on the first in a few regards. Not only are we back in a world of incredibly exciting battle sequences, but Scott films them beautifully and with superb clarity at every moment.
Mescal has recently turned in excellent performances in Aftersun, All of Us Strangers, and Normal People. He gets his turn here to become a true movie star in a high-budget blockbuster. As Lucius, Mescal showcases many of his dramatic chops here.
It’s challenging to fill the shoes of Russell Crowe in his prime, but Mescal comes pretty close. Maximus Decimus Meridius is one of t.