By Ashley Ragone
Staff Writer
Director Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” grossed over $400 million internationally, became one of the highest-grossing films of 2000 and won several Oscars. The Roman Empire war film was a roaring success and is still a beloved film by many. 24 years later, Scott is back for more.
“Gladiator II” picks up 16 years after the events of the first film, with Lucius Verus Aurelius, played by Paul Mescal, living in the ancient African kingdom of Numidia. As he suits up for battle, General Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal, leads the Roman army and successfully invades, taking Lucius as a slave. His ties to the ruling class explored in the first film are not known by those around him.
Once taken under Roman custody, Lucius is sold to gladiator trainer Marcrinus, played by Denzel Washington, who puts him through similar training rotations as his father before him. His unfettered anger toward the Roman Empire and its rulers makes Lucius a savage fighter, winning several fights with a bloodbath as he emulates his father’s crowd-pleasing nature.
Part of the crowd that is greatly amused by his performance is the two tyrannical emperors, twin brothers Geta and Caracalla, played by Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger, respectively. They are sadistic in their treatment of gladiators in the arena. Caracalla specifically serves as comedic relief alongside his pet monkey Dundus, serving in the highest position of power while being childish in nature.
Scott is clear in his message of putting a developmentally-stunted character in a high position of power, and the motif of men resorting to their most primal instincts to fight wild animals. “Gladiator II” really focuses on the message introduced in the first movie by Marcus Aurelius of “the dream of Rome” and the potential for a true democratic state. Aurelius wanted more reliance on the Senate and representation of the public’s wishes, while the twin emperors employed a tyrannical government with minimal external consultation.
As compared to the first film, the usage of animals and war has definitely improved in skill. “Gladiator II” makes use of epic-scale battles, with expansive world-building and imagery in the arena. In the early 2000s, the usage of computer-generated imagery was expensive and taxing, with excessive manpower and millions spent on every detailed frame. However, with the widespread integration of artificial intelligence and graphic design improvements, this movie is able to safely produce war scenes and ferocious beasts without much effort.
Despite the impressive digital manipulation, the choices in “Gladiator II” have raised some eyebrows for its historical inaccuracies, much like the first film. From fighting a rhino to a group of bloodthirsty sharks in the middle of the Colosseum, there certainly are big risks in the nature of this film’s battle scenes. The timeline and portrayal of real historical figures have also proven to be slightly flawed in their research.
Historians have pointed to many loose interpretations of real events, with many stretched truths. The twin brothers Geta and Caracalla did actually serve briefly as dual emperors of Rome after their father’s death, however there was never a pet monkey. As for the battles, Colosseum.net reports that there were instances of naumachia, a Greek term that refers to the mock naval battles that would be hosted in the basin of the venue. However, there is no historical evidence of sharks ever being included in the events, most likely an artistic choice to excuse more bloodshed.
“Gladiator II” delivered an ancient Roman spectacle with all the emotional intensity and gore from the first film with the modern technology to back it up. The film may not stick to the full historical truth, but is a very fun watch and stands as a fitting and respectable sequel.
