Gladiator II is quite entertaining, but bloody, gory, and brutal. Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
Gladiator II releases in theaters across the United States tomorrow, Friday, November 22, 2024. The film comes 24 years after the original, which stars Russell Crowe, was released. The sequel stars Paul Mescal (Lucius), Pedro Pascal (Marcus Acacius), Denzel Washington (Macrinus), and Connie Nielsen (Lucilla). The film comes just in time for the holidays, but is it appropriate for all ages? Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
Gladiator II Movie Quotes
Gladiator II Parents Guide Movie Review
In Gladiator II: Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.
Gladiator II Parents Guide
Let’s take a look at what concerned parents need to know about the age ratings of the movie before letting their younger audiences watch Gladiator II.
Language: Red One contains mild language, with very little profanity. Lookout words include: d*mn, wh*re, and t*t.
Mature Content: The biggest lookouts in Gladiator II is the violence, gore, and cruelty towards characters. The film delivers relentless intensity through its battle scenes, showcasing graphic depictions of injuries such as decapitations, severed limbs, and detailed close-ups of wounds. Armed with swords, arrows, and axes, combatants engage in visceral, blood-soaked clashes that underscore the brutality of the era. Adding to the tension, the movie doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of animal combat, with gladiators forced to fight creatures like baboons and sharks, often leading to the animals’ demise. The grim portrayal of gladiators as enslaved individuals, subjected to branding and cruel treatment, further amplifies the weight of the film’s mature themes.
Overall Thoughts
Gladiator II has more of what everyone loved from the original. Of course, one would expect plenty of exciting and visceral action scenes, only a few of which will test the squeamish and gorgeously shot cinematic views over ancient landscapes. But it is understandable that after 24 years, some may think the story arc wouldn’t be as strong as it should be. Let me say that their worries will all but dissipate after watching this film.
Although not quite as poignant as the original, Gladiator II picks up 16 years after the story of Maximus and follows his son Lucius (Paul Mescal) as he returns to finish his father’s dream of a peaceful and unified Rome. Finding himself a refugee and forced to fight in the arena just like his father, he must show his strength and fortitude to impress Rome’s two current idiot emperors and their lackey Macrinus, played by Denzel Washington. Macrinus and General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) each have their own plans to thwart the emperors, while Lucius is intent on killing General Acacius, whom he blames for the death of his wife. The only thing is that Acacius happens to be the love interest of Lucius’s mother, which makes the dynamic even more interesting.
Most of the visuals are spectacular, though there are some spotty CGI sequences that could have been rendered better. The plot moves along at a steady clip, but I had a little issue with some of the editing and pacing choices along the way. A few of the characters are memorable, but the lack of development overall keeps them from being cared about as much as I remember them being in the first film. The movie also never really explains why Maximus’s struggles and sacrifice went unanswered and why nothing really changed after he killed the emperor.
Watching the original movie prior to viewing Gladiator II will be helpful, especially for those that may have never even heard of it, but it is not entirely necessary as the opening montage recaps the gist of it and there are plenty of references to it throughout. It’s runtime of two and a half hours feels a tad long but is wholly appropriate for an epic movie such as this one, and is something we have come to expect from director Ridley Scott. This movie is quite entertaining nonetheless, but it may not be the best pick for the entire family this holiday season.
