‘Gladiator II’ movie review: Denzel Washington owns the arena

While lacking the emotional heft of the original, this sequel from Ridley Scott is somewhat entertaining, with sharks and rhinos providing exotic joys. There is a shark in the Colosseum! That is one of the biggest takeaways from Gladiator II, Ridley Scott’s sequel to his 2000 blockbuster and Academy Award darling. Even though comparisons are odious, we are forced to go there and Gladiator II does look like something of a shadow beside the brute force charisma of the original. The title sequence with some jolly animation reminds us of key shots from the original, including the demented Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) sticking his tongue out and Maximus’ (Russell Crowe) hands brushing the stalks of wheat of his home. It also serves as a foreshadowing of the movie to come, which echoes the original in dialogue and scenes.

We are told that it is 15 years since the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who had a dream of returning Rome to its people. That dream lies in ashes with corruption and greed running rampant in Rome. In Numidia, a man, Hanno (Paul Mescal), tends the land with his wife Arishat (Yuval Gonen). A Roman army led by Acacius (Pedro Pascal) attacks Hanno’s home town.

Despite a brave fight by the Numidians, the Romans are victorious, Arishat killed and Hanno enslaved. Showing keen fighting skills, which include biting a baboon, Hanno catches the eye of gladiator owner Macrinus (Denzel Washington). And so it is on to Rome for more gladiatorial battles, power struggles, coups and counter coups, lots of blood, rhinos and that jolly shark swimming busily in the flooded arena for a splash of verisimilitude in the recreation of a naval skirmish. Along the way Hanno realises his destiny as he quotes Virgil. He remembers he is Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen reprises her role), the daughter of Marcus Aurelius. Lucilla sent him away to Numidia to protect him. That he is also the son of Maximus is a bit of a shock considering how the first movie was driven by Maximus’ need for revenge for Commodus’ destruction of his family. The plot is choppy and the dialogue does not make too much sense. The illogical plot jumps would require a whole new level of acting to lend credence to the characters. The battles are enjoyable, though, and bloody in the manner of all epics post Game of Thrones as are the effects.