On my pre-Thanksgiving trip to Denver, Colorado, I had the privilege to attend my first AMC theater experience to watch the Gladiator 2 movie. As I was walking out of the theater, I was asked what I thought. I said okay.
Early the next morning, I thought about my answer. There I realized my answer was more toward the movie than the experience of an AMC Theater. The review of AMC Theaters will be done later. Right now, I want to give you my impression of Gladiator 2.
The choice of actors gave a believable and realistic performance. I could see a very believable character arc in Lucius played by Paul Mescal, who is known for his role in independent films. I felt the emotion in Pedro Pascal come out as General Acacius, who is most known as Din Djarin/The Mandalorian within the Star Wars Universe. As usual, Denzel Washington did a great job as Macrinus. Connie Nielson, who was in the original Gladiator 2 film back in 1999, did an amazing job reprising her character after twenty-five years later.
However, amongst all the high energy and special effects at the beginning it went downhill at the end. The character Denzel Washington played did things relating to the plot in the end, I felt should of have been done by a different character and actor.
If it wasn’t for the writers and director could have done the last fight scene and ending better and stronger. Within the comparison of what this film did with the original Gladiator film, it seems like a legacy sequel that seems like a cash grab during a time in Hollywood does this a lot more. Ridley Scott’s visual language is strong as of the original film and his other films. Costume design is extravagant and extremely detailed. They could have said the same thing differently.
–Coauthored by Arden Cussins
