After serious and disappointing setbacks like Napoleon either The Gucci houseit seems that the return of Ridley Scott in ancient Rome will be as big as what the last trailer released by Paramount Pictures promised. Like any late sequel, Gladiator II It was a real surprise. In its announcement and with the skepticism typical of Hollywood audiovisual commercialism, everything suggested that the film would end up tainting the legacy of Máximo Décimo Meridio’s emblematic film. But, fortunately for the fans, the specialized press which has already been able to see the sequel with Paul Mescal is very clear: we are facing the filmmaker’s best film British since March.
The task no matter how far we find ourselves the golden age of nostalgiait wasn’t easy at all. Russell Crowe’s character’s revenge story became ipso facto into an enduring industry classic, finally granting the filmmaker Stranger And Blade Runner, the recognition of being responsible for the best red carpet film of 2001. Therefore, the mere idea of making an expansion of its plot seemed really crazy that, due to the pure logic of the plot, I couldn’t get the main character. from the original soundtrack. However, the specialist press points out that the British director has succeeded in transcribing the epic onto the screen, creating an even greater cinematic story than its predecessor. Result in which the presence of its protagonist and that of a rented Denzel Washingtonwho a few months ago was at the center of all the controversies because of his accent in the promotional preview.
What are critics saying about “Gladiator II”?
24 years old after the legendary and eternal first part, Gladiator II This takes us back to a Rome once again in danger. If in the previous case the problem lay in the tyranny of Comfortable (Joaquin Phoenix), here are the brothers Caracalla and Geta (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) those who pose a threat to the Empire. And of course, Lucio, already revealed to be Máximo’s bastard son, has a lot to say about the continuation of both in power. To do this, in addition to the news of Washington and Pedro Pascal, the second part recovers the characters of Lucille (Connie Nielsen) and Graco (Derek Jacobi) in a sequel in which, according to this first batch of reviews, Scott demonstrates not having lost contact as a filmmaker.
Of course, one of the first comparisons that was made Gladiator IIhave to do with the late continuation which triggered this fashion which led us to also have, a Bitelchús Bitelchús this 2024. Yes, we are talking about the commercial success of Top Gun: Maverick. So, Drew Taylor is clear that returning to the Roman Empire evokes certain sensations derived from the global phenomenon starring Tom Cruise.
“Be calm, Romans. Gladiator II This is the kind of cinematic excellence on a grand scale that only Ridley Scott could achieve. Everything works. Big Maverick vibrates in its ability to evoke the past while adding something new. “A bold and energetic cinema of legendary talent,” writes the journalist from The wrap on their social networks.
The critic Scott Menzel was also unsparing in his praise, who like many of his colleagues praised without half-measure Macrinus’ performancethe libero played by Washington: “Gladiator II This is Ridley Scott’s best film since Mars. A bloody and brutal action spectacle that builds on the legacy of the original. The film shows beautiful settings and many epic battles. Paul Mescal shines. “Denzel Washington really eats up the scene here and looks like he’s having a great time.”
Denzel Washington: a luxury secondary
The first journalists who were able to share their first impressions agree to highlight the winner of two Oscars as a true “steals scenes” on the tape. For example, Eric Sanderson believes that the actor “eats every line and every costume without ever exaggerating”, while Griffin Schiller defines his performance as “sensational and Machiavellian”. Thus, the first voices, still weak, consider that the New Yorker could be one of the big surprises in the category of Best Supporting Actor of the 2025 Oscars.
Gladiator II will be released in theaters next November 15. We will still have to wait a little longer to receive the first official reviews and see if the box office performance can survive a budget which, according to several media, is around 300 million dollars.
