At some point, somebody will make a gladiator movie that treats it extra like wrestling than an epic battle for the soul of a declining empire. Till then, Ridley Scott has been fairly nice at epics, and “Gladiator II” picks proper up from the place his 2000 movie “Gladiator” left off. Earlier than you are pulled into this new cycle of Roman extra, political intrigue, and spectacle centered on the sands of the Colosseum, nevertheless, it’s value remembering the important thing characters from the primary movie and what they (and a number of other tigers) had been all so fussed about. This manner, you may reply what is actually crucial query about “Gladiator II.”
Are you not entertained?
As a lot as Hollywood characters like to yearn for the halcyon days of the Roman Republic, everybody in “Gladiator” is, ultimately, related to the Imperial Household of the Roman Empire. Firstly of the primary movie, the Emperor is the kindly, clever, outdated Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). He’s kindly, correctly and boldly ordering the conquest of Germania, watching from his cool Roman Airstream as his armies are led to victory by the final he regards as a son, Maximus (Russell Crowe).
Nevertheless, Marcus Aurelius’s organic household is a little more difficult. He has one savvy daughter, Lucilla (Connie Nielson), and one wicked fail-son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). As a widow, Lucilla could possibly be in a little bit of a susceptible place. She has a younger son from her earlier marriage to guard named Lucius (Spencer Deal with Clark), and her brother’s moods and urges to handle. However so long as her dad is alive, there shouldn’t be an excessive amount of to fret about, proper?
Effectively. Pay attention, whomst can actually say who Marcus Aurelius desires to rule Rome and return this damaged, amoral empire to its virtuous Republican roots, and who snaps and strangles their very own father once they’re advised that they’re unworthy? Commodus ascends to the throne and orders Maximus and his household executed — simply traditional emperor issues — and whereas Maximus narrowly escapes this destiny, he finds himself offered into slavery and acquired by Proximo (Oliver Reed), an ex-gladiator who now trains them to battle and make him cash, and one thing of an impresario on the fringes of the empire.
Whereas Maximus is arising via the minor league arenas out within the provinces, Lucilla is wheeling and dealing to ensure that a minimum of she has the assist of the Roman Senate and notably conspires with the sardonic however Republican-at-heart senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi). He will likely be on the check.
There are, after all, many different individuals in “Gladiator,” all milling round Rome and scheming completely different schemes as Commodus throws a set of celebratory video games that, unknowingly, leads Proximo to carry his latest gladiator to the Colosseum (Lucius even turns into a fan of Maximus earlier than anybody realizes who Maximus actually is!). A bunch of those characters even have neat callback names to the primary characters of the Late Roman Republic, like Cicero and Cassius and Gaius. However we’re right here to let you know that you simply don’t have to pay them a lot thoughts going into “Gladiator II.”
Likewise, Juba, performed by Djimon Hounsou, is a Nubian hunter additionally turned gladiator, whose calm loyalty and religion regardless of his separation from his household is an interesting counterpoint to Maximus’ want for vengeance. However he’ll not be on the check — so simply watch “Gladiator” if you wish to see how Hounsou may be so bodily delicate and forceful in the identical efficiency.
It isn’t a spoiler to say that Lucilla is again for “Gladiator II,” nonetheless surviving Roman imperial politics; and it’s not arduous to learn the way Paul Mescal’s character pertains to each her and to Maximus. However it’s actually the ability dynamics of the primary movie which are value conserving in thoughts as you stroll into the second, whether or not or not you accomplish that via ripe fields of wheat.
Happily, “Gladiator” sums these dynamics up in its dialogue: The final who grew to become a slave. The slave who grew to become a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an Emperor. “Gladiator II” begins a few decade and a half after the primary movie ends with (spoilers!) Maximus killing Commodus within the enviornment earlier than succumbing to his personal wounds. This leaves an influence vacuum that may, hopefully, be crammed by a return — a retvrn? — to Roman Republican advantage.
Suffice it to say, “Gladiator II” doesn’t make issues so easy.
Profligate emperors, energy gamers within the imperial household, senators determined to carry onto their status, wealthy businessmen seeking to cement their place via the success of their gladiators, and gladiators who’ve agendas of their very own all discover they’ve issues to win, and to lose, within the enviornment. In Scott’s “Gladiator” movies, as in life, the extra issues change, the extra they keep the identical.