'Gladiator II' sets its own stage

Director Ridley Scott is back again to build anticipation and a raging thirst for blood in the Roman Colosseum with Gladiator II. The sequel stars Paul Mescal as a grown-up Lucius Verus, who enters the deathly games in the footsteps of his late father Maximus Decimus Meridius (played by Russell Crowe in the 2000 film) to fight for the future of the empire.

Although the film is slated for a November 22 release, it was recently screened at the Paramount Studios lot in Los Angeles, allowing media representatives and film critics a first look, as per The Hollywood Reporter. The Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington starrer was able to secure its first set of reactions from attendees.

Reactions after first screening

Simon Thompson on X observed, "Gladiator II serves up the richest feast in the epic action set pieces and deliciously ribald treachery. Dovetailing stylishly with the original, Paul Mescal leads a solid, stellar cast with aplomb. Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger are a collective powerhouse."

Another X user, Griffin Schiller, emphasised on the emotional impact of the film, writing, "Ridley Scott returns to the Colosseum to prove to the world that he's still got it. Absolutely buzzing after Gladiator II! An epic Shakespearean tale of hope, futility, and power within a crumbling system. Denzel feasts in a showstopping, Machiavellian performance. What a picture!"

Of course, with a grand predecessor setting the bar high, comparisons were sure to be drawn between the two films. "Gladiator II doesn't quite rise to the greatness of the original, but it's a damn fine sequel with big stakes, a solid story, and excellent performances," wrote Germain Lussier on X. "I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it's just slightly lacking emotionally."

Others too had to contribute to the comparative discourse, with one user praising, "It's a worthy follow-up, and Ridley Scott captures the spirit of the original, but the sequel is its own thing." Another went as far as suggesting, "Not only does it surpass the original, it tops all-timer sequels like The Godfather Part II, The Dark Knight, etc."

Trailer reactions

Upon the unveiling of its first trailer months ago, the sequel did not inspire an overwhelmingly positive storm of reactions. The modern creative choices did not resonate with audiences, especially those that claimed to be die-hard fans of the first film. YouTube commenters were on a roll, tearing the incorporation of rap music in the trailer to shreds.

"The vibe they went for with this trailer is so out of alignment with the emotions of the first film," one user simply wrote. "When the rap started playing, I thought Vin Diesel was going to show up with his V8 in the arena," joked another. "Great choice of music... All that's missing is Dom Toretto drifting around the Colosseum in a modified chariot," added yet another user.

One user suggested that the creators stumbled upon a Jay Z song mentioning a Colosseum and decided to just run with it. On a more serious note, an old fan pointed out, "Can't believe they didn't use parts of the original theme to hit you with nostalgia. That Hans Zimmer score still gives me goosebumps."

As in the case with the announcement of any classic film's successor, fans did not hold back from questioning the purpose of this sequel. "One of the greatest films ever made, and they are going to try to outdo it with a sequel? This is the one film I thought we all knew to leave alone," wrote a user.

Enthusiasts were not short on jokes regarding this topic, either. "The most positive thing about this trailer is that they left the comment section open," said one user. "The best part about this film is that it will inspire people to revisit the original," wrote another.

Fans even flooded the comments section of the first film's trailer, claiming that they were simply there for a cleanse after viewing the sequel's trailer. "Proof that even basic editing and good music is still key to a masterpiece trailer," wrote one user. "Still a better trailer than the sequel, no rap music just pure, enticing music," said another.

The second trailer, released months later, was able to somewhat redeem the film's image in the eyes of the difficult audience. "30 times better than the first trailer," said one user. While some users appreciated the fact that the rap music was dropped in favour of an orchestral sequence, others pointed out that this trailer revealed too much about the film.

"Lacks the grit and soul of the first, almost hard to imagine it's still a Ridley Scott film. Everything is too polished, almost to a fault. It remains to be seen if it holds a candle to the Russell Crowe classic," observed a long-time fan.

The first film follows the story of general-turned-slave Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), whose life is upended by the usurper Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), which leads Maximus on a journey to become a formidable gladiator in order to avenge his dead family and take down the cruel emperor.