AN interesting sequel to say the least, Gladiator II fails to evolve from the original Gladiator movie released more than two decades ago.
The same storyline paired with little to no character development caused some disappointment among viewers.
Despite the lack of a story, the movie was visually pleasing, with some epic fight scenes making up for the plot holes.
The CGI in this movie was questionable to say the least.
With man-eating baboons and sharks swimming around the Colosseum eating gladiators, this movie was a spectacle.
Whether you enjoy the use of CGI in movies or not, it was very visually pleasing and rather funny at times.
I could not help but laugh as a hybrid baboon-dog-looking animal was beaten up by Paul Mescal, further adding to the confusion, yet enjoyment, of this movie.
It was hard to not like the use of CGI, particularly in the battle at the Colosseum where large sharks eagerly waited for a gladiator to fall in, after which the water turned bright red.
In some parts of the film the CGI was bearable, with the stampeding rhino looking rather realistic, right up until it charged at the wall splintering its horn.
With an abundance of CGI throughout the movie, you can either love it or hate it, and personally I found it outright laughable.
From an acting standpoint, I was thoroughly impressed as to how many big-name actors made an appearance in this movie.
From Paul Mescal as the main character, to Pedro Pascal as menacing leader, to good old Denzel Washington as a mentor-turned-villain, this movie has a wide range of actors and actresses which did make up for some of the more disappointing aspects of the movie.
Overall, the film felt rushed, and I asked myself, was this movie pulled together last minute?
Ridley Scott was the mastermind behind the original 2000 Gladiator movie, which was a huge success winning many Oscars.
However, one has to wonder if it was necessary for him to come back over two decades later to create a second movie.
I think not, it is too little too late.
Gladiator II, while yes was an enjoyable movie, it simply did not need to be filmed.
With a weak plot and lack of character development, Scott should have ended it with the original movie rather than creating a mediocre sequel that did not impress.
While this movie may not be to everyone’s taste, if you are looking for a film with some suspense, loaded with action, plot twists, and great casting then this is the movie for you.
The question remains, do you need to watch the original first?
Of course not!
This movie stands out on its own.
If you haven’t seen the original movie do not worry as this prequel will give you a very similar plot with all the action and adventure of the original.
