shan’s review published on Letterboxd:
Magnificent!
I’m so happy they cast Denzel Washington in this film. Even though his role wasn’t the biggest, he absolutely delivered the best performance. His acting ability is truly incredible!
From the moment the opening credits rolled, I knew I was in for something special. Paul Mescal completely transformed himself for the role of Lucius, even adapting his distinctive Irish accent to fit the character—and he did it brilliantly. While his performance didn’t surpass Maximus’s iconic portrayal, it was still incredibly impressive.
The emperors? Absolutely hilarious! They had me dying and I feel like they didn’t get enough credit. And the fight scenes, paired with the grandeur of the stadium etc were breathtaking…so intense I felt like I was in fight-or-flight mode.
The only reason I’ve given it 4.5 instead of 5 is because it felt like more of a remake instead of a sequel but it was still great.
Overall, this is easily one of my favourite films of the year!
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