Filmmaker capable of the best – “Blade Runner”, “Alien, the 8th Passenger”, “Thelma and Louise”, “The Black Hawk Down” – as well as the mediocre – “On Equal Arms”, “A Great Year”, ” Cartel”, “House of Gucci” -, Ridley Scott remains an unclassifiable artist, mixing genres with diverse artistic successes. Released in 2000, “Gladiator” is undeniably one of his flagship works. In addition to revealing a certain Russell Crowe, Maximus' quest for revenge had the ability to combine the intimate and the epic in a highly spectacular epic. Nearly a quarter of a century later, the filmmaker is at it again. The hero having passed the weapon to the left, it is the turn of his son Lucius to seize the weapons. His bloody quest, which initially aims to kill his partner's assassin, will lead him to bring down the terrible regime imposed by two twin emperors.
The know-how is there and the project manager paces his blockbuster well enough to keep the audience in suspense
Anachronistic passages
This classicism, perfectly assumed, is in reality only an illusion, as the plot has different layers which, in the end, justify that Ridley Scott once again went behind the camera for this brutal sequel / reboot. The know-how is there and the master builder paces his blockbuster well enough to keep the audience in suspense. As he has repeatedly proven throughout his career, he has no equal at concocting large-scale battle scenes and relies on them to restart the machine when the plot is slipping. We even feel a lot of inventiveness in the games that unfold on the screen… to the point that certain passages defy realism, or even seem anachronistic, when sharks invade the Colosseum for the duration of a deadly aquatic game. The desire to entertain and surprise predominates over the historical… An understandable choice on a visual and cinematographic level, but which will not fail, just as was the case for “Napoleon”, to provoke some debates.
Strategic and political background
An actor until now rather accustomed to less flashy arthouse films (“Aftersun”, “Without Ever Knowing Us”), Paul Mescal exudes strong charisma in the skin of Lucius. Same observation for Pedro Pascal, who plays one of his rivals. Both, however, have the spotlight stolen by Denzel Washington. Once again in tune, the actor plays a cunning, manipulative advisor, who like a snake, slips scene after scene into the upper echelons of power thanks to his cunning. A strong antagonist who brings a strategic and political supplement to this proposal, who also makes, in a simple way and without forcing the point, the link with the first opus thanks in particular to the presence of Connie Nielsen.
So many qualities for this “Gladiator 2” which, without equaling its predecessor, is both in its lineage while taking an interesting step aside. A bet that the filmmaker was unable to make when he tackled the prequels to his Alien.
Cedric Coppola
“Gladiator 2”, by Ridley Scott. With Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen. Prohibited under 12 years old. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes. In theaters this Wednesday, November 13.
