Nearly 25 years after the triumph of Gladiator, Ridley Scott delivers an epic and violent sequel led by Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, reconnecting with the grandeur of Rome, hitting French theaters this Wednesday.
Nearly 25 years after introducing Russell Crowe to the arena, Ridley Scott presents a brutal and bloody follow-up to one of his greatest successes, Gladiator 2, a blockbuster featuring Denzel Washington and a new generation of stars, in theaters this Wednesday.
The story takes place 15 years after the first film, which won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and achieved colossal worldwide box office success. Paul Mescal, known for the series Normal People, plays Lucius, the nephew of Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), who admired the feats of gladiator Maximus (Russell Crowe), killed alongside his uncle in the Colosseum.
Exiled to Numidia (North Africa) for his safety, Lucius is captured and forced to become a gladiator himself after the Roman army invades his adopted land. Captivated by his rage, Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave hungry for power, brings him back to Rome to fight in the arena, in a storyline reminiscent of the first Gladiator.
Nearing his 87th birthday, Ridley Scott has pulled out all the stops for this sequel: a naval battle in a flooded Colosseum with sharks, battles against a rhinoceros, and rampaging baboons in 3D... The British director pushes the boundaries of violence and spectacle for 2.5 hours, taking some liberties with history.
However, some critics might regret that this visual intensity detracts from the emotional power of the original Gladiator, once carried by Hans Zimmer's mesmerizing score, who did not return for this sequel.
Recycling or Genuine Artistic Ambition?
Connie Nielsen, who reprises her role as Lucilla, Lucius' mother, assures that Ridley Scott has always wanted to continue this story. "He explored different paths before choosing to focus the film on the relationship between Lucius and Lucilla," she confides. Lucilla, now faced with Rome's decline and the collapse of its values, embodies the "spirituality" of this troubled era.
Thanks to technological advances, Ridley Scott has been able to create an even grander spectacle in the Colosseum. Nielsen also notes that the director now works faster, trusting his actors more. She is thrilled with her new co-stars, particularly Pedro Pascal, known for his dedication and generosity on set.
Scott, director of Blade Runner and Thelma and Louise, is already considering a potential Gladiator 3, which he mentioned in a recent interview.
With AFP
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