33/22
several sequels were attempted in the film
Plot
After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who rule Rome today, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to his past to find the strength to restore Rome’s glory to its people. Russell Crowe and Sir Ridley Scott invited musician Nick Cave to compose the version. His version focused on the more mythic elements of ancient Rome and would have seen Maximus enter the afterlife only to encounter other souls yet to ascend further. He is eventually tasked by Jupiter and the other Roman gods to return to Earth to find and kill Hephaestus, the former god who has betrayed them. From there, he is resurrected as a Christian and must travel back to Rome on a mission to stop the spread of Christianity, while also crossing paths with the new emperor, Lucius.
Emperor Geta: The Gods have SPOKE!
The film would have ended with Maximus cursed to live forever, featuring a montage of the soldier fighting through the Crusades, World War II, and the Vietnam War, eventually revealing a modern-day Maximus working at the Pentagon in Washington. The studio decided not to make this version, but the script is available online. Introducing The 7PM Project: Episode 3 July 2024 (2024). I was lucky enough to attend an early screening here in NYC, so let’s start with the obvious. Gladiator 2 features stunning CGI & practical implications.
Now, the cons
Sometimes you feel like you are in Rome. Denzel shines in his role and is up for an Oscar nomination, and blood & Gore is very entertaining. What’s not to like about a Roman gladiator tearing his head off in THEE Coliseum? Paul Mezcal, a phenomenal actor, did not achieve what I wanted from him in the film. Without revealing the plot, he shines in individual scenes and compliments his co-stars well.
The story is above average but could be better
However, he could have done better in group settings where he had to act as a catalyst for the scene. “As a Director”; throughout the film, stirring up rumblings of rebellion, rebellion, etc., we expect him to draw. However, at no point did they want to follow him. This may be a dumb character, but when the one character I’m supposed to be rooting for doesn’t make me want to rush into battle, it misses the mark. It fleshes out the bones of the original film and offers some fan service, but it’s by no means a stand-alone marvel compared to its predecessor.
The music was solid, but could have taken some notes from Dune Part 2 on how to let the Audience beat it during key scenes
Overall, it’s a good match for the original Gladiator, one of the best movies of 2024, and it’s getting some Oscar buzz, but it’s not what it could have been, which is a masterpiece.