Gladiator II: Paul Mescal 'mesmerising' in 'relentlessly entertaining' sequel
Ridley Scott's 'primary aim' is fun, in this 'exhilarating' blockbuster

"'Gladiator II' is by far the best popcorn film of the year". Ridley Scott's "exhilarating" sequel to the 2000 movie starring Russell Crowe has "swords, sandals, sharks in the flooded Roman Colosseum, Denzel Washington in flowing robes and Paul Mescal biting a baboon" – what's not to love?
The action follows Lucius (Mescal), the illegitimate son of Crowe's Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), and nephew of the first film's villainous Commodore (Joaquin Phoenix). After leading a relatively peaceful life as a farmer in northern Africa with his wife, Lucius is forced into slavery and ends up becoming a gladiator like his father.
Mescal is "mesmerising", said Caryn James on BBC Culture, managing to hold the film together with the same "power and magnetism" as Crowe. Scott knows exactly when to give him close-ups that "allow him to shine".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It should be noted from the outset that the film "isn't quite as strong as its predecessor", said Robbie Collin in The Telegraph. But "Gladiator II" is "still the year's most relentlessly entertaining blockbuster". The sequel "zig-zags madly from ribald comedy to sweeping action, then quivering melodrama". From the "shadowy plotting that threatens to bring Rome crashing down" to the spectacular Colosseum battle scenes, it's clear that "fun is Scott's primary aim".
Denzel Washington's portrayal of scheming slave-trainer Macrinus is so good he "rather eclipses the rest of the cast"; "every gesture radiates movie-star ease" and "every line comes with an unexpected flourish".
Whenever Washington is on screen, the film "ignites", agreed Kevin Maher in The Times. But save for a couple of "dazzling close-ups" Mescal is "shaky at best", and Pedro Pascal is "wasted in the non-role" of Roman general Acacius.
The battle scenes "quickly dissolve into the enervating repetition of man versus digital beastie", and the decision to flood the Colosseum and bring in sharks was "especially poor". Their inclusion feels "depressingly B-movie" like "Deep Blue Sea" or "Sharknado".
I thought the sequel was "watchable and spectacular", said Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian. The Colosseum has been recreated as a "gobsmacking 1:1 scale physical reconstruction with real crowds", and though it's "impossible to avoid" the endless parallels with the first movie, the "all-important gladiator set-pieces have the right hallucinatory quality".
"Gladiator II" is "in many ways as compelling and expertly staged" as the original, added Boyd Hilton in Empire. "There's a fearlessness to its big swings that has to be applauded. It's Ridley Scott Unleashed, and we're here for it."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
6 helpful (and way cute) phone accessories
The Week Recommends Answer the call of style
-
The 5 best TV reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Finding an entirely new cast to play beloved characters is harder than it looks
-
Snow what? 6 charming ski towns to visit during peak summer.
The Week Recommends No powder, no problem
-
An American girl takes on London, 'Bosch' gets another spinoff and Washington Black leaps from page to screen in July TV
the week recommends This month's new television releases include 'Too Much,' 'Ballard' and 'Washington Black'
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this July
The Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
-
Rustle up some fun at these Western hotels and dude ranches
The Week Recommends Six properties that are ready to rope you in
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
Feel the groove with these music-centric getaways across the globe
Let the rhythm move you