“Gladiator II” relies on excessive violence and trite stereotypes

Fans of excessive violence and banal stereotypes will welcome director Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II," set sixteen years after "Gladiator," also directed by Scott. First, good news. Technically, every element shines from John Mathieson's impressive cinematography reportedly often involving eight to twelve cameras filming simultaneously. Compositions, lighting, art direction, and editing contribute a professional gloss to events, obvious CGI excepted.

In addition, the ensemble cast, to a person, commit fully to their two-dimensional characters, all familiar caricatures, lacking any complexity. Each telegraphs their function immediately and often. That includes: Connie Nielsen as Lucilla (in the original "Gladiator"), Paul Mescal as Lucius, Pedro Pascal as General Marcus Acadius, and Denzel Washington as Macrinus, plotting to take the throne from the two rulers, Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta and Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla. However, the two Emperors are buffoons as silly as the baboons in one Colosseum battle. Shifts in characters are manufactured since they function as mere pawns in the video game of a film. All the actors suggest they could offer more than required here, especially Denzel Washington who outacts everyone. Russell Crow and Joaquin Phoenix are sorely missed.

More bad news. The violence is repulsively gory, often shown in close-ups and punctuating the film every fifteen to twenty minutes, right on cue, as if to jolt viewers out of their stupor, though relaxation would be difficult given the intrusive, pervasive overscoring by Harry Gregson-Williams. In every important scene, the music and sound announce loudly and repeatedly the emotions to feel. There's no trust in independent thoughts or reactions. And, then, there's the sophomoric script that alternates between mindless pronouncements akin to fortune cookie phrases and a few insightful observations on becoming, if one surrenders to it, what one hates. There are some sly parallels to today's politics, but superficial and slight.

The film also runs too long, though most do these days. (Where are the editors who can battle a director's ego?) Therefore, I suspect "Gladiator II" will make a fortune since, sadly, American filmgoers have learned to settle for any film that has lots of action, plus an overbearing promotional push. "Gladiator II" is screening in IMAX, the best way to see it, if you must, and other formats.