Gladiator II is one of those movies that I’ve simultaneously been incredibly excited for, yet very concerned about. I didn’t exactly think the original Gladiator film needed a sequel, especially after all these years, and director Ridley Scott has been, well, inconsistent as of late, to say the least. But after twenty-four years (sixteen in-universe), we’re back in Ancient Rome. The question is, was it worth the wait?

Gladiator II synopsis is a strange one to talk about, in that many story beats are shown in the film’s extensive marketing campaign, so much so that I wish certain elements were to be experienced for the first time without that knowledge. So I’ll be as coy as possible. The film follows Lucius Vernus from the original Gladiator, all grown up and living in Numidia. He’s cast aside his Roman heritage and lives a humble life away from the politics of the Empire. That is, until the Empire sails in with designs on claiming Numidia. After a pretty epic opening battle to set the stage, Lucius is taken captive and sold into the gladiatorial stock of Macrinus, where he must fight to survive while power plays are made behind the scenes.

My initial impression of the film, apart from “wow the spectacle”, was the observation that Gladiator II was treading very close to becoming more of a remake of the original film than a sequel. It’s very derivative in its plot points and narrative beats, from our hero handling of wheat (grains, this time around) to a rousing opening battle, to Lucius’ subsequent sale into slavery and opening small-scale arena fight where he must make an impression. It’s all entertaining; well shot and acted, it just felt like I had seen it before. Just this time, it was being remixed in some way shape or form. The same can be said for the score, this time done by Harry Gregson-Williams (Kingdom of Heaven). It’s not bad, it’s just nowhere near as iconic as Hans Zimmer’s original score; even when he pulls from those themes.

But as the film left its first act, the direction of the film began to really evolve and become its own thing and by the time the third act was in full gear, a completely different beast was being uncaged. This is more like it, I thought. Great narrative stakes, unexpected turns, and a fresh experience. I can’t help but wonder, seeing as how much of the movie Lucius goes by “Hanno”, how the movie would’ve hit if we didn’t know his true identity going into the movie. Maybe super casuals will be obvious to it all, but Scott and his marketing department haven’t been shy about talking about plot points, perhaps to a fault.

With the advancements in cinematography and effects, Gladiator II looks amazing…for the most part. The CGI killer monkeys and sharks (yes, sharks) looked unfinished and uncanny, but the sets and costumes were nothing short of breathtaking. Scott and his team built these amazing sets, including a partial replica of the Colosseum, and it paid off. You feel utterly transported to 211 A.D., much more than the first one that’s for certain (and the original Gladiator still looks amazing). The aerial shots of Rome make the city look dense and the streets are packed with citizens and giant buildings. Plus, these sets are outdoor sets, so the natural light bounces off them, as opposed to studio lighting, and it only serves to sell the illusion that this is a real city.

Paul Mescal is fine as Lucius, who goes by Hanno for most of the film as he’s rejected his lineage. He’s quite stoic and gruff but lacks that charm and gravitas that Russell Crowe had in his Oscar-winning turn as Maximus. Denzel Washington, on the other hand, chews through his scenes as Macrinus, the most interesting character in the movie. A former slave-turned-gladiator owner and arms dealer, Macrinus operates with a cold Machiavellian prowess that fuels his ambitions and toes the line between flamboyant and a stone-cold menace. He’s one of those characters who’s playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, if you’ll forgive the Training Day wink. Sometimes it feels like Washington is just going for the fences and swinging but his chaotic performance is so wild that you can’t help but be sucked in.

In supporting roles, we have Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, a General in the Roman Army who leads the various African campaigns. He’s initially framed as the film’s antagonist but we quickly learn a lot about him, to the point of being quite sympathetic towards him. He’s currently married to Lucilla, Lucius’ mother, who is still trying to bring her father’s dream for Rome into existence. Rounding out the cast are Fred Hechinger and Joseph Quinn as co-emperors Caracalla and Geta, respectively. While clearly deranged, they never feel like Commodus rip-offs, despite being scummy and vile. They’re not the main threat, unlike Commodus in the first film, but they are bound to events that happen in the story.

But the real star of Gladiator II is its director. At 86 years old, Ridley Scott directs this movie with the energy of someone half his age. The sheer scale is massive, and the action is kinetic and crowd-pleasing (if never quite hitting the same highs as the chariot sequence or Tigre’s duel from the original). This is easily Scott’s best work since The Martian and writer David Scarpa, who struggled with Napoleon, has shown improvements in his craft. That said, the script, especially in the first act as I mentioned, is where the film is weakest and the extensive callbacks and winks to the first Gladiator, which characters directly quoting that film, did come off as unimaginative at times, no matter how much the movie tries to justify it.

So to answer my question initial, was I entertained? The answer is yes. Gladiator II may not fully justify its own existence and falls short next to the original, but nonetheless, I had a great time watching the movie. It’s a visual feast with some unexpected narrative curveballs later in the film that thankfully keeps it from being a soft remake.

Oh, and it’s of course historically inaccurate, just like the first one, but stay tuned as I’ll be doing a fact or fiction article not unlike the Napoleon piece that I did.