Gladiator II
Max Fosberg

Review by Max Fosberg Patron

Gladiator II 2024

★★½

Watched 22 Nov 2024

I feel like this is an exact example of why Hollywood continues to struggle. Turning Gladiator, maybe the last true blockbuster/prestige hit into action IP is sad to see. That movie back in the summer of 2000 was so grand, physical, well written, paced and used CGI sparingly. I don’t even think Gladiator is Ridley Scott’s best film or maybe even in the top tier of his films. However, the stratosphere that it plays in is much higher than the sequel.

This film, just feels hollow and fake. Paul, an actor I really really love is incredibly miscast. He doesn’t have the grit or the presence of what Russell Crowe had and that would be okay if they played into his strength which he has shown in the past of being sensitive and emotional. In this he fights cgi animals (mutant baboons, a rhino and sharks) and because of that it takes me out of the film and he never gets me on his side.

Denzel Washington has an extremely fun time and I was happy anytime he’s on the screen, but it doesn’t save this film. Highly disappointed that they took something like Gladiator and dumbed it down. It’s the most textbook blah movie.

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