Roman all over

Should Gladiator II be reviewed in comparison to the original? Given the lengthy gap between the two films (24 years!) it feels the second one should stand on its own plinth, however there are clear connections between them in the story, making it fair to look at them together.

I saw Gladiator twice at the cinema (24 years ago!) and several times more on DVD. It’s a wonderful film with great action scenes in the arena, a charismatic lead in Russell Crowe, and the epic sweep all good swords and sandals films should have.

Gladiator II? Not so much…

Crowe put weight on every word of the original script, Paul Mescal delivers his lines like Ralph Wiggum in cosplay. I expected him to say ‘I’m in danger’ every time he walked into a gladiatorial battle.

Almost everyone is two-dimensional, none more so than the two emperors, which is doubly ironic seeing as they are based on real people.

The only actor to stand out is Denzel Washington, providing an ever-reliable performance. Clearly he’s acting in the first Gladiator, not this faint echo.