Gladiator 2 4K Steelbook Review
“Gladiator 2” is a strange sequel.
2024’s “Gladiator 2” is a sequel to 2000’s Best Picture winning “Gladiator.” Penned by David Scarpa, the plot focuses on the character of Hanno (whose past and lineage comes to light as the story unfolds). At the beginning of this sequel, Hanno lives in Numidia with his wife Arishat. Alas, their peace and tranquility is short lived as the Kingdom is invaded by the Roman army led by General Acacius. Arishat dies in battle and Hanno is enslaved along with all other survivors. Hanno is taken to Rome where he begins his new journey as a Gladiator under Gladiator stable master Macrinus. Macrinus tells Hanno that he has the opportunity to seek revenge against Acacius for the death of his wife if he does well in the gladiator games, but he also has his own agenda as he schemes to take control of Rome from Emperors Geta and Caracalla.
You have to give credit to the now 87 year old Ridley Scott. Not only is he still going strong, but he’s still making epic films like “Gladiator 2” which is filled with action, drama, exotic location shooting, towering sets, and a whole lot of special effects. As impressive as this visual spectacle may be, it never reaches the heights of the Oscar winning original.
Let’s look at the facts, “Gladiator 2” is missing Hans Zimmer’s iconic score (Harry Gregson-Williams score doesn’t even come close here), Russell Crowe is nowhere to be found here as his character died in the first film, and the story lacks the emotional impact that the first film had. Without those elements, “Gladiator 2” certainly struggles in following in the footsteps of its predecessor. On top of that, you can’t help but feel like a large majority of this epic is just a retread of the original. On the plus side, the sequel does connect to the first and there is a key subplot involving Macrinus that sets itself apart from the OG.
Perhaps the most puzzling part of this follow-up is that it’s weirdly campy at times. There are some genuinely bizarre moments here involving baboon fights, rhinos, and a boat battle in the Colosseum with archers and sharks. Yes, you read all that right. It deserves credit for originality to be sure, but these goofy elements are distracting.
Again, the lack of Crowe does hurt the film. Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal are both top notch actors, but they both seem a bit out of place in an epic of this scale. The presence of Connie Nielsen is a pleasant surprise for fans of the first entry. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger are both quality actors, but it often feels like they are trying to channel Joaquin Phoenix at times (Hechinger even LOOKS like him in this). Luckily, Denzel Washington is here to carry the movie on his back. The veteran actor (who should have been nominated for an Oscar) is having a blast as the villainous schemer Macrinus. Anytime he is on screen the movie is better for it.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? The picture quality is flat-out stunning in 4K. This is the best way to watch the film at home.
Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? In standard Atmos fashion, the track is as perfectly loud and dynamic as you could want it.
Extras (All On The Bonus Blu-ray Disc):
* Digital copy
* Blu-ray copy
* 10 deleted scenes
* “A Dream That Was Rome: Origins”- A featurette on how this sequel came about and the plot and characters. Cast and crew interviews and set footage are included.
* “What We Do In Life, Echoes In Eternity: The Cast”- A cast featurette with cast and crew interviews and set footage.
* “In The Arena: Filmmakers” is all about Ridley Scott and his close collaborators who make a film come to life.
* “To Those About To Die, We Salute You: Combat” covers the fight choreography and training, stunts, and the making of action set pieces.
* “Building An Empire: Post-Production” centers around the visual effects, editing, sound, and the score.
* “The Making Of Gladiator 2”- A 20 minute making of that covers the production. Loads of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews are included.
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