Gladiator II Review: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal's Film A Is A Spectacle, But Not On Par With The Original

Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington

Where to watch: In theatres

Rating: ***1/2

24 years after Gladiator, Ridley Scott returns with Gladiator II, a sequel that tries hard to live up to its legendary predecessor. This film has all the trappings of epic cinema: sweeping battle sequences, ambitious landscapes, and a cast stacked with top-tier talent. But while it successfully delivers on spectacle, it stumbles in the pursuit of substance, like a gladiator weighed down by overly heavy armour.

The film’s lead, Paul Mescal takes up Russell Crowe’s legacy as Lucius Verus, son of Lucilla and distant heir to Maximus. Now a hardened warrior with an Amazonian wife, he’s traded Roman comforts for a rugged life in North Africa. But when his home- is sacked, wife killed, and he’s enslaved, his path of revenge begins—albeit with less fury than Maximus’.

While Mescal’s performance has its moments of simmering stoicism, his portrayal of Lucius feels muted in comparison to Crowe’s Maximus. Mescal’s Lucius may be a man of noble ideals, but his pensive nature and subdued rage rarely translate into the powerful catharsis audiences might expect. For those hoping for another Maximus-esque tour de force, Lucius is a millennial echo of his predecessor’s fiery vengeance—a thoughtful avenger who broods more than he bellows.

The plot, penned by David Scarpa, is layered with palace intrigue and political chaos. Pedro Pascal plays Marcus Acacius, a weary general reluctantly leading Rome’s African conquest under the orders of twin emperors Geta and Caracalla, played with offbeat eccentricity by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger. Pascal’s Acacius, secretly dissatisfied with Rome’s corruption, hopes to spark a rebellion, a refreshing twist, but the complexity of his character is often overshadowed by the film’s crowded narrative.

Then there is Denzel Washington, who shines as Macrinus, a former slave wielding power in the gladiator arena with electrifying, unpredictable energy. His scheming, Machiavellian presence is both mentor and rival to Lucius, blending charm with ruthless ambition. Washington’s scene-stealing moments bring vital intensity to the film, which might struggle to captivate without his cutthroat charisma.

Technically, Scott delivers a visual spectacle in the opening North African battle, with Roman ships, fierce defenses, and CGI beasts—monkeys, sharks, and rhinos—charging into carnage. The grand brutality nods to the Gladiator’s style, while Harry Gregson-Williams’ heroic score enhances the action, though it can’t quite reach the haunting depths of Hans Zimmer’s original.

However, this film tries to be more than just a gritty action piece. It flirts with themes of justice, empire, and the cyclical nature of power, yet these philosophical undertones often feel heavy-handed. The film is weighed down by its own ambition, overcomplicating Lucius’ hero’s journey with underdeveloped subplots and recycled symbolism. Instead of a compelling transformation, Lucius’ journey feels like a hesitant rehash of Maximus' path.

Overall, this film may deliver enough blood and grandeur to satisfy a night at the movies, but it lacks the soul that made the original unforgettable. Are we not entertained? Well, perhaps. But are we moved? Unfortunately, that is a much harder question to answer.