Gladiator II is well-made and entertaining. That it doesn’t live up to the original film from 24 years ago is perhaps no surprise. Was it a necessary sequel? Not really, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable piece of cinema by one of the medium’s great filmmakers, Ridley Scott. The 4K disc is reference quality in the sound and image department and is a fantastic showcase for your home theaters.
The Production: 3.5/5
“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”
Defeated in battle, his city of Numidia in North Africa was destroyed and captured by the Romans; Lucius (Paul Mescal) is enslaved to become a gladiator, part of the brutal spectacle in the Colosseum for the roaring crowds of Rome. Lucius is a gifted warrior of a strong lineage. His father was Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe). While Rome suffers under the cruel rule of Emperors Caracalla and Geta, Lucious wants nothing more than revenge against the Roman General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) for the conquering ruin he brought to his home. But unrest stirs in the annals of power, with the duplicitous Macrinus (Denzel Washington) maneuvering pieces on the board for his gain. The world and time are against Lucius.
Director Ridley Scott’s decision to return to the world of Gladiator after a 24-year gap had long been wanted. The long time to bring a sequel to fruition is both a boon and a drawback. A boon in that audience hunger, for those who loved the original and long wanted to return to that world had remained surprisingly active. A drawback is that cinema has seen many lesser copies of the film, sword & sandal films that dabbled in various genres (the disastrous Ben Hur remake, the unsatisfactory Clash of the Titans reboot, Brad Pitt’s Troy, even Zack Snyder’s 300) since Gladiator premiered in 2000. When it arrived, the cinema hadn’t seen a sword and sandals film in many years. Ridley Scott took audiences back to the world of gladiators and Romans with all the tools cinema had honed over the years—digital recreations of Rome and colosseums that wowed audiences. Partnered with a compelling story superbly told, Gladiator was a box office and critical hit. But in 2024, after so many chances to see films reminiscent of Gladiator, there is less hunger and less freshness about the opportunity.
So, was the wait worth it?
Sort of.
Gladiator II is more brutal and more openly layered with political machinations and, in some ways, a more engrossing variation of the original film. But it isn’t a grander experience, even if the spectacle on display is grander in scale (such as the water-filled arena with boats and sharks, not to mention the rhinoceros-riding warrior moment and the monkey fight). We have a film built on the same basic framework as the original, in that a wise leader with a good heart must rise in popularity and strength on the stage of the deadly Colosseum. Now, the focus is on the child of Russell Crowes’ Maximus, sent into exile for his safety by his loving mother upon Maximus’ death, and plays against a brewing political insurrection and a secondary threat from a power player moving for his gain. That adds drama to the hero’s journey we see in Lucious and is welcome.
The action is also spectacular. Director Ridley Scott is almost unmatched in mounting and staging battle sequences of scale and intensity. The horse-mounted battles in The Last Duel (2021), the enormous scale of war in Kingdom of Heaven (2005), the climactic combat in Robin Hood (2010), and, of course, the original Gladiator (2000), are replete with the superbly crafted clash and clang of man’s brutality in war. But Gladiator II also feels rushed. The poetry of the original is absent, and while the film gains energy as it thrusts quickly from the opening battle to clashes in the arena, the moments in between where we come to understand characters and their motivations move so swiftly that we don’t have chance to breathe in the pain characters feel, or the weight or threat in the moments, or the danger brewing in the walls of Rome. As a result, the film lingers less and with less impact, despite the technical directorial prowess on display, the grandeur of scale in the sequences, and the artistic brilliance in sets and costumes that fill the frame.
Leading the sequel is Paul Mescal. He is an interesting choice for the role and an essential distinction from Russell Crowe’s turn as Maximum. Mescal simmers rather than smolders as Crowe does. He’s less expressive and even more monotone, but that’s not a complaint. It results in an even performance that allows the smiles, when they come, to feel very authentic and the rage when expressed, to feel more visceral. Mescal also chose not to bulk up for the role or want to be the handsome hero. Handsome though he is, he decides to underplay the heroism, making Lucious gritty and determined.
Pedro Pascal as General Acacius is unsurprisingly excellent. As his troops quickly topple the resistance in the battle that opens the film, the weariness he wears in his expressions is compelling and offers a more complex character than we might expect. Pascal is easily one of the most watchable actors today, and he’s choosing great roles in great films to deliver great performances.
Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Macrinus is fascinating. In a delicious performance, Washington delights in his character’s vicious actions, self-serving lies, and deviousness. He is the film’s most potent and unexpected element and the reason this film exists.
Gladiator II is a good film. It’s also a good sequel, but as it is the follow-up to a great movie, it somehow disappoints. There is, however, a great deal the film has to offer. With a story by Peter Craig and David Scarpa (with Scarpa delivering the screenplay), the film gathers strength and dramatic power as it enters its second half. This is where it truly begins to blossom with the weight of the political machinations at play, the rumbling insurrection building in the hearts of spectators, and Washington’s Macrinus tugging selfishly at the strings. With bursts of well-staged battle sequences, the film becomes compelling. That it never achieves the impact of the original is a little bit of a letdown, but it’s still a good film and a welcome watch.
Video: 5/5
3D Rating: NA
Wow. Gladiator II in 4K is a remarkable sight. Shot with an Arri Alexa LG with Panavision optics (Thanks, RAH), everything is stunningly clear. Finished in 4k, Gladiator II is about as perfect a 4K disc as you can get. With Dolby Vision grading, colors are bright and vivid, detail is superb, contrast is excellent, and black levels are inky black and pure. The visual effects work holds up well against such scrutiny, and it is a disc you would choose to put on in a showroom to showcase what this incredible 4K capability is all about.
Audio: 5/5
The Dolby Atmos track is staggeringly good. It’s reference quality, but it’s also a thoughtful display of surround and overhead expression. Arrows unleashed from bows, swords clashing, bodies falling, the whips and subsequent explosions from burning projectiles launched from and toward the city (during the opening battle), and powerful. Dialogue is noticeably clear, mainly from the center channel.
The composer, Harry Gregson-Williams, picks up the baton from Gladiator’s composer, Hans Zimmer, and weaves music from the original in all the right places. It’s a satisfactory score, given many opportunities to shine across the audio, with delightful moments in the overheads (for this score fan).
Special Features: 3.5/5
A good collection of special features that largely scratch the film’s surface. All are available in HD and on the accompanying Blu-ray.
- A Dream That Was Rome: Origins—Director Ridley Scott and producers delve into the history behind Gladiator II and how the story developed over many years before coming to the screen.
- What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity: The Cast—Take an inside look into Ridley Scott’s casting process.
- In The Arena: Filmmakers: Go behind the scenes as the cast and crew journey to Malta, Morocco, and the UK for the epic production.
- To Those About to Die, We Salute You: Combat: Discover how Ridley Scott and his team combined choreographed combat with cutting-edge visual effects to take the action to a new level.
- Building An Empire: Post-Production: Join the filmmakers for insights into the fascinating process of crafting the finished movie, including a scoring session by composer Harry Gregson-Williams.
- The Making of Gladiator II: Explore how Ridley Scott, the cast, and crew worked to bring Gladiator II to life.
- Deleted Scenes
- Packaging: This edition comes in handsome Steelbook packaging that partners nicely with the Steelbook of the original Gladiator in 4K.
Overall: 4/5
Gladiator II is well-made and entertaining. That it doesn’t live up to the original film from 24 years ago is perhaps no surprise. Was it a necessary sequel? Not really, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable piece of cinema by one of the medium’s great filmmakers, Ridley Scott. The 4K disc is reference quality in the sound and image department and is a fantastic showcase for your home theaters.
Neil has been a member of the Home Theater Forum reviewing staff since 2007, approaching a thousand reviews and interviews with actors, directors, writers, stunt performers, producers and more in that time. A senior communications manager and podcast host with a Fortune 500 company by day, Neil lives in the Charlotte, NC area with his wife and son, serves on the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte Board of Directors, and has a passion for film scores, with a collection in the thousands.
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