As a long-time fan of Ridley Scott’s work, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation as I sat down to watch the world premiere of Gladiator 2. After the slightly underwhelming experience that was Napoleon (2023), it was refreshing to see Scott return to his cinematic roots with this epic historical adventure.
On October 30, 2024, Sydney hosted the first-ever screening of “Gladiator 2” (or simply “Gladiator II”), which will hit U.S. cinemas on November 22, 2024. This movie is a follow-up to the 2000 classic, “Gladiator,” and is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year in the realm of epic historical action-adventure features. The initial reactions from critics towards Ridley Scott’s direction have been overwhelmingly favorable, resulting in impressive Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic ratings.
Gladiator 2 reviews call it a ‘return to form’ for Ridley Scott
The second installment of Gladiator is being praised as a comeback for director Ridley Scott, following his film Napoleon (2023) which didn’t impress critics much. Kelechi Ehenulo from GamesRadar+ noted, “While it’s not his best work, Scott’s return to form is significant, demonstrating that he can still captivate and thrill audiences with his visual storytelling. Are you not enthralled? Absolutely, Scott still has the ability to enchant.
According to Maureen Lee Lenker from Entertainment Weekly, it’s the deep and thoughtful themes and dialogue that make Gladiator II stand out in the world of cinema, even amidst its spectacular action scenes. Additionally, the script by David Scarpa is noteworthy for its intelligence.
In the words of Clarisse Loughrey from The Independent, Gladiator 2 exhibits elements of “overt theatrics” at times. She suggests that dismissing it as such might stem from clinging too strongly to the grim expectations we have for modern blockbusters. The film displays a contemporary perspective but also offers a nod to the genre’s grandiose past.
Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian commended the acting of Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus and Denzel Washington as Macrinus, stating that “This sequel doesn’t shy away from getting messy – it delivers the key scenes and moments that the audience craves (which includes everyone), along with the crucial gladiator fight sequences. The scenes have an otherworldly quality, such as a battle at sea being recreated in a flooded arena, or a massive rhino’s scaly hide getting pummeled.
Gladiator 2 starts with solid Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores
In simple terms, as of now, Gladiator 2 has garnered an impressive 76% positive response from critics on the aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes based on 91 reviews. Additionally, it received a score of 67 out of 100 after 32 reviews on Metacritic, where they use a weighted average to evaluate films.
While these are impressive numbers, the real test for Gladiator 2 will be when it releases in theaters for U.S. and overseas audiences.
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2024-11-12 15:10