Washingtons show-stopping performance alone makes theGladiatorsequel a must-see.
Pascal gives a subversively sympathetic turn as the villainous Acacius, but hes underutilized in this overstuffed ensemble.
Washingtons performance alone makes the sequel worth watching, though.
He playsMacrinus, a former slave who now trains gladiators.
Denzel Washington brought something to Gladiator 2 that I never expected to see in the sequel: comedy.
Macrinus is a laugh riot in this movie.
Image via Paramount Pictures
Washington imbuesGladiator IIwith a refreshing sense of humorthat its predecessor didnt have.
He steals every scene hes in with charisma, comic energy, and unbridled enthusiasm.
Out of all the actors inGladiator II,Washington seems to be having the most fun.
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
This performance is a masterclass, and although Macrinus is just a supporting role, Washington makesGladiator IIa must-see.
Its hurt by the inevitable comparisons it draws to its predecessor.
