Gladiator II First Reviews Praise Paul Mescal's 'Magnetic' Performance in Sequel Full of 'Eye-Popping Spectacle'

First reviews for Gladiator II have arrived.

Following Ridley Scott’s long-awaited follow-up to his Oscar-winning 2000 film. Gladiator Screened for critics in recent days, the epic film debuted on review aggregators like Metacritic with a score of 67 — indicating generally favorable reviews — and 84% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Hollywood ReporterThe Film’s David Rooney wrote that the film’s star Paul Mescal is “as magnetic as ever” as Lucius, while Denzel Washington “brings such dazzling charisma, steely authority and sly humor” to his role as scheming politician Macrinus.

“Gladiator II there may not be a protagonist with a glowing glow [Russell] Crowe’s Maximus, but has plenty of eye-popping spectacle and operatic violence that audiences will want,” Rooney wrote.

Vulture film critic Alison Willmore slammed the film in her review, writing that Gladiator II is “so underwhelming that you might come away thinking, ‘Huh, maybe masculinity really is in crisis.’ ”

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Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal in Gladiator II.

Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures

Willmore wrote that Mescal, 28, “is terrible at giving the rousing speeches that were so iconic in Gladiator,” describing the sequel’s script as noticeably “clunkier” than the original film’s. “Sure, not all of us spend a lot of time thinking about the Roman Empire, but those who do deserve better than this,” she wrote.

IndieWire critic Vikram Murthi similarly panned the film, writing that it appears to be “emptied of any old-fashioned magic that elevated the original” despite appearing larger in scope and scale.

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Paul Mescal in Gladiator II.

Paramount Pictures

“From the main cast, [Pedro] Pascal stands out largely because his character—a Roman general horrified by the mass death he orders—is the most conflicted and dynamic,” Murthi wrote. “Of course, he’s barely in the film.” Pete Hammond of Deadline gave the film a positive review. review and wrote that the film is “the film that IMAX was invented to show” in theaters.

Paul Mescal recalls how director Ridley Scott helped him overcome his ‘nerves’ on the first day of filming Gladiator II

Poster Gladiator II.

Paramount Pictures

“I didn’t visualize Mescal following Russell Crowe into this particular ring, but his muscular and convincing turn as Lucius is the real thing, as fierce in his swordsmanship as the man in his portrayal,” he wrote, praising Connie Nielsen’s reprise of her role as Lucille . “There was time [Mescal] even reminded me of Spartacusfrom the Kirk Douglas era.”

Siddhant Adklakha wrote yes in his review for Inverse Gladiator II is “a darker, meaner film for a darker, meaner time” in reference to the recent US presidential election.

The critic described Mescal’s work in the film as “fiery,” while praising Washington, 69, whom Adklakha wrote “lights up the screen with his Shakespearean performance and his jokey, duplicitous facade, switching with ease between evil scowls and devilish grins, depending oh who’s watching.”

“It’s a superbly confident performance from an actor at the height of his abilities who fashions a character so delightfully scheming that it’s hard to look away,” he added.

Gladiator II in cinemas on 22.11.

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Source: HIS Education