'Gladiator II' review: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and sharks in the Colosseum can't save uninspiring story

While visually impressive, Ridley Scott's sequel couldn't live up to the original

It's time for the next generation of great gladiators with Paul Mescal starring in Gladiator II (now in theatres) as Lucius, son of Maximus (played by Russell Crowe in Gladiator) and Lucilla, returning star Connie Nielsen. While Ridley Scott's sequel is visually impressive, using technology to the best of its ability, the actual story of the second film doesn't provide the same excitement.

Also starring Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, it's an all-star cast taking on a production of this massive scale. But the success of this film will rely on the expectations and desires of each person in the audience.

Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.

We begin by seeing Lucius in Numidia, in North Africa, with his wife Arishat (Yuval Gonen). Lucius had to flee Rome for his safety at the age of 12, after being crowned the prince of Rome.

But when a Roman army, led by Gen. Marcus Acacius, arrives in Numidia, Lucius' wife is killed, which leads him on a path of revenge.

Lucius then becomes an enslaved gladiator in Rome, ruled by twin emperors, Emperor Geta (Quinn) and Emperor Caracalla (Hechinger). Macrinus (Washington) is the master of the gladiators, who leads with his desire to gain more power in Rome, while bringing true spectacles to the Colosseum battles.

While Lucius proves himself to be the strongest gladiator, his mother has the desire to save him.

Fred Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla, Pedro Pascal plays General Acacius and Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.
Fred Hechinger plays Emperor Caracalla, Pedro Pascal plays General Acacius and Joseph Quinn plays Emperor Geta in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.

Visually impressive, lacklustre story

For a movie being executed with the filmmaking prowess that Scott has, we expected Gladiator II would be visually stunning and impeccably crafted, really building the tension and executing the thrill of action. But it's the storytelling that lacks the depth to match the film's visuals.

With a plot that holds a lot of similarities to the original movie, what's amplified is the fact that the character development doesn't successfully enable us to feel connected and invested in the outcome of these characters.

It feels like we're rushing through elements of a good story, just so we can get to monkeys, rhinos and sharks in the Colosseum.

The cast does the best they can with the material given to them. For Mescal, you feel like he's really trying to lean into the evolving emotions and nuance of the character, while Washington is wickedly cunning in the best performance of the whole film. Washington is just a master of his craft, and it shows.

Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.
Denzel Washington plays Macrinus in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.

If you're someone who just wants to go to the movie theatre to see that popcorn spectacle, that's where Gladiator II shines.

There's no doubting that it looks better than any relatively recent film from Scott. The gladiator combat is incredibly impressive and will get your heart pumping.

But it's that contrast between the entertaining and exciting action, and the unimaginative and repetitive story, that makes Gladiator II feel like a let down.

One piece of advice for anyone planning on seeing this film, go to the movie theatre, ideally an IMAX cinema. You want to try to be as fully immersed in those visual elements as you can be to salvage the film's narrative misfires.

If you're asking, "Are you not entertained?" Maybe not as entertained as we hoped.