November 27, 2024 – Ridley Scott's sequel to his hit movie of 2000 is more of the same, but with a bit lighter tone. Sure, there is a lot of blood, but all the characters don't end up drowning in it this time.

The sequel stars a couple of actors who look like they are related, the man who would be king, Lucius (Paul Mescal of “All of Us Strangers”) and General Acacius (Pedro Pascal of “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”) but they are from very different countries and families. These two characters start out as bitter enemies, as General Acacius leads the army which conquers Lucius' country, Numidia, and kills his wife.

Lucius survives the massacre and becomes a Roman slave, while the wealthy and influential Roman citizen Macrinus (played by Denzel Washington of “The Equalizer” movies) recognizes the fighting prowess of Lucius and buys him for his team of gladiators. Macrinus has big plans for Lucius, no less than control of the Roman Empire itself. It is a very complex plan, involving lies, bribery, blackmail and murder. Macrinus believes all is fair in politics.

Macrinus learns that Lucius hates General Acacius and wants to kill him. That fits into Macrinus's plans. Things seem to be going Macrinus's way, but it turns out that Lucius has some plans of his own. Unforseen events turn Lucius and Macrinus into deadly enemies, with the entire fate of the Roman Empire at stake.

Another key player in this struggle is the wife of General Acacius, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen of “Wonder Woman”). Lucilla is Roman royalty, the daughter of the late Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and a threat to Macrinus's plans. Lucilla and her husband are involved in a plot to overthrow the corrupt twin Emperors, Geta and Caracalla. When Macrinus learns of the plot he turns it to his advantage.

There is plenty of swordplay in this movie, including a Coliseum spectacular with a battle between two war ships, complete with sharks. I know they had some elaborate gladiatorial combat contests in the Coliseum, but this one seems a bit far-fetched. There is more than one decapitation in this movie, and gallons of blood.

The original “Gladiator” (2000) was a straight up tragedy. Gladiator II, on the other hand, while it certainly has tragic elements, is a bit less tragic, with a more upbeat ending. It is probably not tragic and negative enough for some critics, who have a much more negative outlook on the world, but these days, you really can't blame them for that.

I found this movie to be entertaining, a heady mixture of action and drama. It is very well acted by all the lead actors, with strong supporting performances by Tim McInnerny (“Notting Hill”) who plays the weak senator, Thraex, along with Joseph Quinn of “A Quiet Place Day One” and Fred Hechinger of “Thelma,” who play the corrupt emperor twins, Geta and Caracalla, respectively. The direction from Ridley Scott, who is one of the best, is sure-handed, as expected. The production values are excellent, and the movie looks just great. This movie rates a B.

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