Ridley Scott’s 29th film “Gladiator II” revolves around family intrigue, sprawling sets, and a muscular man with eyes set on a throne.
“Gladiator II” follows Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), son of Maximus Verus (Russell Crowe in the first “Gladiator”), whose home of Numidia is conquered by a Roman army led by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal).
Taken as a prisoner of war, Lucius fights as a gladiator in the Colosseum for Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave whose plans to overthrow the current emperors, Caracalla and Geta (Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn respectively), slowly unfold.
A 20-year development cycle is normally never good for big-budget filmmaking. The term “development hell” is thrown around for everything, but “Gladiator II’’s case was particularly excessive. From Russell Crowe demanding a place in the story to Nick Cave writing a draft about killing Christ throughout global history, the script was shopped around until Paramount bought DreamWorks Pictures.
The film wasn’t in full production until at least 2018, with the cast and crew encumbered with other projects. Ridley curated seventeen films in between the original film and this sequel, with David Scarpa now at the screenwriting helm.
Throughout this extensive development cycle, “Gladiator II” became a Ship-of-Theseus for most of the creative team’s ideas, adding on more and more “stuff” (see Scott’s adamancy towards a rhino fight) that the actual story becomes so muddled down it turns comical.
Many conversations held around water coolers across the nation about the film will likely revolve around the film’s historical inaccuracies. Whether it be flooding the Colosseum with great white sharks or a Rome News printing press, the latter of which was invented twelve hundred years later, Scott wisely recognizes that the core audience of the “Gladiator” franchise is not interested in stomaching realistic fighting as long as they have something entertaining to show for it.
These set-pieces, composed of many practical and digital visual effects, keep the film afloat, especially when screenwriters Peter Craig, David Franzoni, and David Scarpa’s screenplay is desperately sinking this ship.
Seeing the film for the second time, my sister turned to me and asked, “Has the screenwriter even heard of the Bechdel Test?” I choked on popcorn and then remembered this was the same man who wrote Scott’s last film “Napoleon,” with the incredible supporting character of Josephine.
When it’s not Connie Nielsen delivering dialogue only centered on her son Lucius or late husband Maximus, the screenplay flourishes into a very formal, Shakespeareian structure. Bureaucracy, intrigue and politics contrast the violent action. The only one who plays into this exaggerated tone is Washington. A man who works up the ladder of Rome, mostly offscreen, is charismatic, hilarious, and the beating heart of the film.
Pascal is also there, his side story muddled by the relentless action. He’s playing it fairly safe, the worst thing you can do for a high budget, all spectacle film. I wouldn’t be surprised if after a month or two, I’ll forget he was even there.
Portions of Paul Mescal’s story were enjoyable especially when he’s not speaking. A moment where he comes into contact with the after-life is enthralling, and by the third act, he’s mostly got the audience under his wing.
The cinematography by John Mathieson is uninteresting. His use of multiple cameras, upwards of fifteen rolling on a single set-piece at a time, bogs the film down. There’s less focus on interesting camerawork, instead cutting every three seconds like a Super Bowl halftime show. The bulk of the interiors are handheld with the practical sets visualized through crane imagery. It’s the price of filming digitally, especially compared to the lush flourishes its predecessor thrives in.
I didn’t like it. Give me sweeping directing and vibrant camerawork akin to “Napoleon,” which effectively captures thousands of soldiers more compellingly than this lazy, “we’ll do it in post” mantra.
To be fair, everything substantial is in focus, a small bar that “Gladiator II” gets to pass. While the camerawork isn’t the greatest, the lighting is where it really shines. Lucius is sitting in his cell talking to Lucilla, shadow obscuring much of their body. Only eyes shimmer under the candlelight, an aching longing for a better Rome. The dialogue sucks, but the cinematography shows more than it tells. It’s great! Give me more!
“Gladiator II” is somewhat compelling. While it misses the mark with its writing and cinematography, the production design, costumes, sound, and just watching a jacked Paul Mescal fight a rhino is enthralling. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I would point you in the direction of a film that does everything “Gladiator II” does just a little bit better: “Gladiator.”
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