REVIEW: GLADIATOR II

4/5

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148 Mins. Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Alexander Karim, Yuval Gonen, Peter Mensah, Tim McInnerny, Matt Lucas, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen & Denzel Washington. Screenplay: David Scarpa. Director: Ridley Scott. In: Theatres.

Gladiators ready! When it comes to these men in the arena, here's a sequel that's really worthy of the Roman numerals. One 24 years in the making...and well...worth...the wait. The new millennium 'Gladiator' epic, starring Academy Award winners Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, remains a classic. Its legendary legacy you can see everywhere. Because what we do in life is even quoted on the arms of LeBron James like Biblical scripture. But which soldier of Rome will be The King in this Colosseum? One that's flooded with sharks and the jaws of monkey business. 'Gladiator II' really is a worthy successor to the Oscar gold leaf that was crowned before it. Of course, you're entertained. Achieving strokes of art from the canvas of its outstanding oil paint title sequence (if this was back in the day, it would be heralded like the 'Catch Me If You Can' iconic titles), to the grass of the last, lasting moment that will stay with you like dust brushed across your fingers and into the palms of your hands.

86-years-young, Ridley Scott is back in the director's chair like he is rarely for the sequels to his science fiction signatures ('Alien', 'Blade Runner'), despite their besting recent efforts. Although, the ageless auteur likes to go back in time to the historical epics ('The Last Duel') after reuniting with the thumb of Joaquin Phoenix for their brilliant 'Napoleon' biography last fall. Enlisting the screenwriting of that film in the form of David Scarpa ('All The Money In The World') and his wonderful way of words, speeches still stir that could reach the father of a murdered son, even if Crowe's character and Phoenix's remain in the ashes and archival footage. There's still vengeance to be had, mind you, and stepping in to battle for Spencer Treat Clarke's ('Unbreakable', 'Glass', 'Much Ado About Nothing') child acting is the next acting gladiatorial great Paul Mescal. 

Normal people like Mescal have already moved and burnt us with movies like 'After Sun' (the same for 'The Lost Daughter' and 'All Of Us Strangers'), and he's about to show all the lonely people that all you need is love once more as the one and only Paul McCartney in a forthcoming Beatles biopic set to rival Timothée Chalamet's Dylan ('A Complete Unknown') and Jeremy Allen White's Springsteen ('Deliver Me From Nowhere'). But here one of 'God's Creatures' (who has already channelled Brando like Billy Zane (uncanny) and a Laurence Olivier Award for playing Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'), is brutal, beautiful, boundless and brilliant. Looking like one of the Roman coins placed on the side of his bath after victory. To reveal more about his character would be saying far too much like the second trailer, if you haven't seen that, just you wait, as Scott paints free and flowing characters of complex. Even bringing 'Wonder Woman' Connie Nielson back (like the legendary Derek Jacobi) a quarter of the century later to reveal even more depth.

Mescal might be one of the most popular (all women want him, all men want hi...ah hem, to be like him) actors of the moment this side of 'The Mandalorian', but Pedro Pascal's performance behind Scarpa's strong script and Ridley's riddling direction really hits the bullseye for these archers outside the arena. Remember, the great gladiatorial battles happen outside the Colosseum too. Pascal is perfect and the pastel of even more character confliction and moral grey areas as the two Roman statuesque looking actors Mescal and Pescal duke it out. Straight out of a Shakespearean tragedy as the Phoenix like brothers of 'Stranger Things', 'A Quiet Place: Day One' star and forthcoming 'Fantastic Four' Human Torch Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger (and his own Marcel like monkey friend) have their own campy, sibling rivalry duel in the safety of the seating area around the arena. There's strong support all around. Lior Raz putting everyone through their paces. The trademark gravitas of Peter Mensah. 'Notting Hill's' Tim McInnerny being taken for everything he's worth and Matt Lucas bringing the 'Shooting Stars' drum-rolls back as the master of ceremonies. 

Yet even the hawkeye of Yuval Gonen's wonderful wife has the threat of the show stole by former gladiator, and now opium prescribing doctor Alexander Karim. Not to mention the compelling chemistry he has with Mescal. Will they, won't they? They don't. But these friends getting along famously say something in the eyes. A kiss of death from Denzel Washington (reuniting with Ridley after 'American Gangster' with Russell) was cut from this movie, but the legendary actor actually is the one to steal the show here. Instrumental in pulling all the strings like The Godfather in one of the G.O.AT.'s best performances yet. And he's far from done, with Ryan Coogler writing a role in 'Black Panther 3' for the man who was rumoured to be T'Challa back in the day. Say what you want about the accent (did you forget his Shakespearean work?), my man owns this. Making his own rules, like when someone told him the Royal Highness would see him now at the premiere. King Charles ain't got s### on him. This movie was meant for greatness, he need only give it a push. Legends like this echo in eternity. In this life or the next. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Gladiator', 'Robin Hood', 'Napoleon'.