Why Gladiator 2 is a LAZY Hollywood Sequel | Video Essay

[@movieoverload]

What did you think of Gladiator II? Remember you can go to surfshark.com/movieoverload for 4 extra months of Surfshark!

[@probableflaws3597]

Hey, just wanted to say I really like your content because we have similar tastes and you keep your critiques centered around the film rather than external narratives. Only pointing out the most egregious cultural over correction at the expense of good storytelling. This though, this masculinity subplot you latched on to…yeah this ain’t it.

[@KingDanny9]

Good movie overall, with a lazy, Hollywood ending. I say 7/10

[@anubusx]

Women being used as soliders in the Roman army never happened.

[@probableflaws3597]

@@anubusx Well good thing she wasn’t part of the Roman army then, huh? She fought for the Numidians. Also, if we’re going to go the “historical accuracy” route this entire movie falls apart in seconds, but people want to ignore the boring stuff to lose their shit about a single female archer. The movie was ridiculous for dozens of reasons, don’t take that bait.

[@anubusx]

@@probableflaws3597 He doesn't have the same emotional weight as Maximus's wife being assassinated since she was an unarmed civilian. She wasn't a solider who was killed because she fired at a Roman general during a war.

[@NobleGamer889]

Gladiator 1 - movie made by passion + original IP Gladiator 2 - movie made by greed + sequel to existing IP just for nostalgia

[@TheAufziehvogel]

Everything said in two sentences.

[@kayanoreeves1949]

Did you even see Gladiator 2? This sequel was made to give fans of the original movie multiple orgasms, and it delivers.

[@dearmrfrodo]

One thing I beg to differ is that Gladiator 1 is not a show of masculinity. The movie is full of the male tenderness. From the beginning that a general who doesn't want to go to war so much that he imagines how the farm in his lodge would look like in a battlefield, to a devotion to his wife and children. The revenge arch is not even to just kill the emperor but to reunite with his family in Elysium. The sensitive touch in the movie combined with the epic music is what tugs our heart. Would move a grown man to tears every time I catch gladiator 1 on TV.

[@SK-ut6tw]

That is true masculinity

[@BrandonScott-mi5pz]

EXCELLENT MOVIE OVERLOAD WORK.

[@FireinTheBowl]

"My name is Maximus Decimus Mediocritus, commander of the normies of the north, general of the Feel lt' Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor alpha male Marcus Aurelius, father to a murdered franchise, husband to a murdered classic movie, and I will have my vengeance in this life or the next"

[@kjellduteweert9262]

This movie was a mistake story-wise. Instead of creating a new story, they reused the plot of the previous movie. They could have made a film about a reborn republic or explored an alternate reality. In such a world, they could have crafted a compelling story, with Lucius as a consul or something equally unique. Imagine a Caesar-like figure rising to power but, instead of Caesar winning, the republic prevails. Let Lucius be the one to triumph. It’s a real shame, as the concept had so much potential.

[@elperrodelautumo7511]

I would rather watch that fan made gladiator sequel over this version we got instead

[@queenb2450]

I think it would have been more fun to see Lucius running away from who he is, from being Maximus' son. That way, we could have gotten character development.

[@HistoryfortheAges]

I am a History professor and made a movie review of Gladiator II. They did not have sharks in the water, or ride Rhinos! I know some folks don’t really care about historical accuracy of movies, but if you are curious and wanted to know what fact was and what was fiction you can give it a watch! Even if you are not planning on watching the movie, watching my video is a fun way to learn about some Roman History. Overall I enjoyed the movie, but mainly b/c of Denzel. The other characters were pretty flat.

[@lawjef]

It is a Hollywood movie, not a documentary. And the only thing less entertaining than a bad sequel is a college lecture. Good luck with your channel

[@HistoryfortheAges]

@lawjef 🤣🤣🤣 just means you never had the right college professor 😜

[@bsaneil]

The models of ancient Rome were hilarious. The Temple of Hercules Victor was moved half a mile from its actual location to just beside the Colosseum. And did you notice the aqueduct - going uphill? How does that work?

[@HistoryfortheAges]

@@bsaneil I missed that one! There were so many things off in the movie it was comical!

[@FrancT-]

​@@lawjefLOL, did you know that ACTUAL history is often much more awesome than fiction? The ignorance you show just from one comment is an achievement in itself.

[@ParkerCS2]

Gladiator 2: A mediocre sequel that doesn’t justify its existence! Moana 2: Hold my 🍺

[@averagebeing_com]

Gladiator 2 = Visuals > Music > Acting > Script

[@shidaaaaaa]

Even visuals are not that good as in the first Gladiator

[@rafaelvilas4230]

The laziest and most soulless movie I've seen this year. In view of the level of the film, it enters the category of the "worst films of life". Even the extras are terrible! Pause in the scenes they appear, it looks like a poorly done theater. Scenes and reactions without sense, nothing developed naturally and lazy performances.

[@nerychristian]

Beetlejuice 2 was worse

[@probableflaws3597]

@@nerychristian Betelgeuse was awful but I think Gladiator 2 was somehow even more souless

[@DrDoohickey]

I agree - this film was in fact a disgrace.

[@probableflaws3597]

Just got back from movie. It was bad, it was REALLY bad. The story, the casting, the history: all had me eye rolling. Ridley is well known for making decisions for very shallow reasons I.e. “Will look cool”, but this was a stretch even for him. Really it just had me asking “why?”. The ONLY motivation is man watches his wife (who is fighting in battle) getting killed. Beyond that we aren’t shown, barely even told, why anything is happening. As an antiquity history buff it was terrible on levels beyond levels but not everyone cares about that. The whole masculine thing eh. Yeah the first one is masculine like any other male centric movie of the era (Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down) but that was not an actual THEME. The second one is just limp all together so anything lacking isn’t really a rejection of masculinity, it’s a rejection of a good script.

[@camiloruizcastellar4740]

Russell Crowe said on an interview the original Gladiator script was also garbage so he and some of the cast improvised most dialogues on the spot. Probably Denzel was told about this and tried to do the same without success.

[@diversityhobbit]

It does exactly what most movies are created for "bread and circus"

[@wickdaline8668]

The Twin Emperors were Joffrey at home.

[@anubusx]

Such a good comparison.

[@robertprice5243]

Thumbs down actually means let live ...

[@TheSands83]

Exactly

[@RezCaliber.177]

When I first heard "gladiator 2" I knew it was going to be stupid... Even the title is stupid... You already know there's going to be a 3rd one... guaranteed

[@RezCaliber.177]

​@@neptuneninja... Sorry, I don't get triggered by random people's comments, so I'm not going to argue online with you ... Blah

[@KingDanny9]

@@RezCaliber.177 Gladiator 2 is a good film though

[@Modenut]

Last Duel is bretty gud too

[@jamessimon3433]

Oh man, i simply cant understand why a single adult person could enjoy this movie. Am i missing something? Granted i streamed it, didnt see the Imax. Is that it?

[@twootakua_]

Gladiator 2 is great. These KZbinrs will find any excuse to dump on a movie

[@mr.skullfacegarcia775]

I gotta be honest, the rhino scene and the boats with the shark scene and the baboons seen, we're actually pretty cool and entertaining.

[@ayes12786]

I don't know why the sharks were even in the movie in the first place. It was historically inaccurate and they only attack the people that were already killed by the arrows so what the point of them. If you were going to put them to use then make them do something for example have Lucerus fall into the water and has to avoid being hit by the arrows and fighting sharks trying to get onto the boat. That will bring some sort of suspense into that scene.

[@skajari1]

If the "sharks had freak8ng lazerbeams strapped to their head" maybe i would have watchdd it. 😂

[@anubusx]

Me to lol.

[@Midnitethorn]

I saw this with my fiancé a few days ago as casual fans and agreed it was a sequel that didn't need to exist. The story was told in a strange order, characters were flat, and every interesting plot point either disappeared or was very anticlimactic

[@georgehernandez2156]

Script wise yeah.. filming wise nope. They literally build an entire colleseum.

[@luismedrano6680]

You won't believe it but Christopher Nolan has just said that Gladiator 2 is his personal favorite film of 2024! You see even your favorite director can recognize film making prowess

[@JoeChillton]

I wish i came up with that joke about plot armor at the very end cause...literally. also it felt really cut to shreds as far as Denzel and Mascal

[@classic.cameras]

I once was a Hockey collector. I went to a flea market back in the late 1990's and asked the guy I bought from " are you excited for the Slap Shot II?" and he simply said "Why would I want to watch a sequel for a movie that came out over 20 years ago. That is stupid and nor a sequel." And it always stuck with me. You have say a decade to come up with a sequel otherwise its a joke.

[@Menstral]

The sequel to top gun is the exception that proves the rule. I think you made this comment because you're just ashamed of asking a either a pointless or stupid question.

[@classic.cameras]

@@Menstral I was like 17. Teenagers are dumb. Especially hockey fans.

[@lorenzoFCIM1908]

Knew this movie was going to be shit, the minute they announced it.

[@KingDanny9]

Gladiator 2 is a good movie though

[@DrDoohickey]

While most here will agree with every point you make, I must disagree on one: Gladiator II is in fact a disgrace. It is almost competely absent everything the first one brought in spades, not least the revenge arc, which you rightly point out lacks any potency. To another main point, Denzel wasn't merely overacting for want of a solid character and decent script - he was completely miscast, and I can only assume that was an act of desperation. Scott presumably saw the writing on the wall (filming wasn't going well), and brought in a powerhouse celebrity for a quick fix. I spent much of my cinema experience wishing it would end, and will likely never revisit the film, along with many others, I'd bet. This stands in sharp contrast to Gladiator, which is endlessly rewatchable. Gladiator II perfectly showcases the tragic decline of a director who once made memorable, iconic films, and is now seemigly content to phone it in for a payday. And the evidence if this extends beyond this film - he has authorized spinning the Alien property into a television series that competely undermines the central premise of the first two films - that protagonists will sacrifice thier own lives to ensure Xenomorphs never reach Earth. Ridley should rethink his motovation for continuing to write, produce, and direct before he mars every corner of his legacy with substandard Hollywood tripe.

[@skyethepanda7216]

I loved Gladiator II

[@activat0rz]

Excellent review and analysis. Thank you. Gonna give the movie a try

[@ruviwilhelmy4294]

Men = Bad = isn't that missing the point? We have a problem with toxic masculinity because of the harmful psychological effects and women being robbed of their agencies because men want to feel powerful in comparison. That IS a problem, not men in general. In 2000 you could still portray women in movies as damsels and that doesn't fly today anymore. That does not mean representing them in "historical" context inaccurately is the right response either. I guess good writing = getting nuances right?

[@karoline.lipp37]

For me Paul Mescal was not the problem, the script was.

[@e1evene1even]

Sooo, Maximus had an affair? The two boys are practically the same age in the first movie.

[@kjellduteweert9262]

I also rewatched the first movie yesterday, and I still have goose prickles; with the movie with the second, I just sigh.

[@paulcashion8049]

This movie's script was bad. I didn't see the appeal. I couldn't finish it and thought it was horrible. I love ancient Rome. I think that was my problem.

[@franc_dep6960]

8:41 I think this is the issue with many Ridley Scott's recent movies. Like Prometheus, I liked the movie and I think it had potential, but when I try to find a point to it... well

[@AaronClancy]

Grey is so much more interesting than clear good guys and bad guys.

[@David0Izzy]

I was waiting for this video from the very announcement of the movie

[@arbywabd8782]

anyone else think that the end fight is a spoof of Jake Paul - Mike Tyson?

[@AsadKhan-lm6yr]

I agree! Well done

[@maize09blue]

Final verdict - Watch the original. You will be more ENTERTAINED!

[@DestinyAwaits19]

Gladiator 2 was good in its own way. It had poor acting, a terrible script, bad dialogue and so on. But it was brilliant in how it depicted humanity's lack of regard or decency for human life. Throwing people to wild baboons, or watching two men kill each other at a royal party shows how messed up our actual history as a species has been. Gliadiator 1 was a brilliant film, but it didn't show our true depravity.

[@tjkong4381]

After watching this I agree 100%. It is a good gladiator/Rome movie but a terrible sequel. You need Denzel giving his A game to outmatch a prime Crowe and Phoenix.

[@FireinTheBowl]

It was bad. How the fuck did they get Sharks in the arena?? and get them out later

[@SajjadAliKhan-f4h]

what about the last fight scene seriously !! they had to go to between two armies and fight there like from no where they had to fight there ! com'on never expect such bullsh*t from ridley

[@westfield90]

I had zero connection to any of the characters, the dialog was cheesy and the CGI was too obvious

[@TheresaVibess]

I really like the movie 😬

[@Konsy_001]

I love, absolutely love Gladiator and not even gonna bother with the new fake one...

[@Soysauce878]

Hello there! What are your thoughts on the horror film, It?

[@joniarmel7308]

The movie is good !!!!!!

[@liampatrick3110]

No it's not

[@webmatrix100]

You reading too much into it

[@tristampratorius4709]

The criticism of the film is warranted (I did not think highly of it either), but the idea that it abandons masculinity in that process is nonsense. What exactly is the difference between this film and the first in terms of how 'manly' they are other than the wife character (a completely different one) being a soldier? North-African states might have different practices regarding conscripting women compared to agricultural Rome. His wife is literally a member of the infantry, that is not a 'position of power.'

[@tristampratorius4709]

8:17 This is even less coherent. The movie abandons 'smashing the patriarchy' (a bloviating exaggeration of feminist positions allegedly included in the movie) because that was never the intention. Arishat's introduction in the movie is not much of a statement to begin with.

[@tristampratorius4709]

This is especially silly, considering the mythology and philosophy of Antiquity (although perhaps not the material reality) was generally more keen to depict war-like women. It aligns fairly well with that period's tendency towards exaggeration if nothing else.

[@barbiquearea]

I thought the wife was a soldier because the city didn't have enough men to take up arms and defend itself from the Romans. Also, she was an archer, which I think is more believable.

[@probableflaws3597]

She also literally worked on their farm in the 5 second backstory they gave us. What an L take…seriously bummed this reviewer went this route.

[@DrDoohickey]

Archer? No way. She would barely equal the draw weight of that bow.

[@k3556io]

Gladiator 2 was good

[@michaelcasey5453]

The more I hear "woke" the more I hate it and go against it.

[@kifacorea]

But masculinity is not static. It is fluid. Shallow analysis.

[@raymondsmith6870]

I have to complete disagree that this is even a good generic sword and sandals movie. This is just The Force Awakens of gladiator films where it is just cut and paste from the original beat for beat. Which is catnip to audiences for some reason. I would rather watch Demetrious and the Gladiators with Victor Mature instead and that was the movie they should have copied instead to make the Gladiator series an anthology of Rome not a terrible retconned mess where all of Maximus' sacrifices from the first film are completely undone and thrown out the window.

[@Eric_Von_Yesselstyn]

Oh... Where to begin.. First the plot, it goes all over the place, convoluted, messy and changes.. 👎 Also, no attempt at historical accuracy in many places, for example there are ENGLISH inscriptions all over the place.👎 Then there are thing like the bronze helmets of the Numidians, they are old and crusty aged looking, which is not how bronze was maintained, they were polished semi regularly and we know this from ancient accounts.👎 Oh and all of the exposed Marble reliefs, old and un painted, we know from extensive accounts that Rome wasn't white and drab looking, reliefs were painted, marble statues were painted, walls were painted, etc etc etc.. The movie fails in that respect too.👎 Bronze statues weren't painted but maintained and not left to get crusty.. And finally, the writing for the movie is mediocre for something supposed to be a sequel to it's predecessor, which was a Block Buster.. The movie isn't getting HATE for any one reason, it's getting FAIRLY TREATED for what it is as an end product. It's a solid 4 out of 10. 🙄

[@LifenaDay525]

Wonder if you had the opportunity to give your extensive knowledge of filmmaking after watching 11 “Fast and Furious” remakes? 🤣🤣🤣

[@brianweyne5723]

gladiator 1 was a cinematic masterpiece, 2 is a dumb action movie

[@boyzinthewood1]

Woke isn't overused. There's simply too much woke in the world. I'll call a cabbage a cabbage if it's a cabbage.

[@Zeel-ko1ni]

Woke is overused when you call everything woke but when under a critical eye it isn't. A lot of people aren't even properly defining the word and calling things woke when they aren't or don't do anything wrong. You are most likely the same type of person who does the same

[@boyzinthewood1]

@Zeel-ko1ni never make assumptions on people you know nothing about. It only serves ro make you look ignorant.

[@nerychristian]

Lately, when I drink water, it tastes a little woke to me.

[@boyzinthewood1]

@nerychristian 🤣

[@MarcellusMaize]

It becomes overused when people consider any tv show movie or game with minorities or women in it woke. It’s just lazy criticism most of the time nowadays.

[@manxman8008]

rubbish movie - dissapointing - wooden actors- director assleep - gayness and crappy woke everywhere

[@TheSands83]

Denzel was awful n this movie

[@KingDanny9]

Liar!! He saved Gladiator 2

[@TheSands83]

@ I watched it he was totally out of place. A New York accent with him clearly not being enthusiastic about the role

[@DrDoohickey]

Agreed - he was bad. And somehow everything else about it was worse still.

[@TheSands83]

@@DrDoohickey it was. He was bad in it and you’re right he still wasn’t the worst thing. Not even close.

[@viammortis]

Jesus you drivel on and on about your perceived persecution of masculinity more than you talk about what made the movie bad.

[@talitafamado]

Right? the movie was just not good. It has nothing to do with being less masculine (if it was the case, 'cause I don't see it).

[@spiveyg89]

Yes this has nothing to do with masculinity it was just a bad script. This woke shit is such bullshit it's like reaching for clickbait. There nothing with a woman being a soldier. Like he never heard of Vikings

[@neptuneninja]

@@viammortis Just parroting the same fashionable dribble amongst every single KZbinr 🤤 these days . Us men are so persecuted in modern times 😪, oh lord how to we male fragile butterflies 🦋 endure 😣 the endlessly painful belittling of our masculinity through society !!! 🤔😯😔😞😣😖😫🤧🥺😢😪😭

[@kasaibouF29]

For a guy who hates the word woke, he sure does sound like an anti-woke parrot.

[@DramaHollywood]

okie

[@tocaciucezar4695]

nnicer work gheti \

[@spanishroyalty1254]

This movies sucks as a movie

[@kimmund3204]

Bro you lost me. Not every sigle male or female in a movie is a statement on masculiity or feminity its just not a great character with a ot very good actor.

[@KingDanny9]

Gladiator 2 is a solid and fun movie, go see it!! Denzel gets an Oscar for this. Maybe Joseph Quinn gets a nomination too for Geta? Don't be surprised. Probably the 2nd or best film of the year so far. And bravo to Ridley Scott for letting Denzel be Denzel!! Without him, I would have fallen asleep. He saved Gladiator 2!!!

[@KingDanny9]

@@moon-moth1 Why is Gladiator 2 making a fortune then?

[@DrDoohickey]

Garbage film.

[@GreatWestern175]

I like Gladiator II. Went to see it with my dad and brother. A worthy successor to the first film, which is a rarity of a sequel. We're not wasting our health, energy and mentality like some lambasting this film!

[@spanishroyalty1254]

Bro you are lost. This movie sucked.

[@thegreenbaron6439]

You must of been the three guys in Tyrone Magnus’s theater😅

[@neptuneninja]

⁠@@spanishroyalty1254No you sucked ! The concessions stand guy to get into the screening and a medium sized butter 🧈 popcorn 🍿 bucket ! 😂😂😂

[@neptuneninja]

@@thegreenbaron6439You must of been one ☝🏼 of the three guys with his pants around his ankles at the front of the Cinema. That everybody saw, 😮 when the lights came back on at the end of the film 🎥. I don’t think 🤔 anybody believed your congo line story ! 🫣🫢😂

[@probableflaws3597]

So then you don’t lambast ANY film then under those parameters, right?

[@David0Izzy]

Sharks were 100% a thing in the Colliseum. Rome went to all extremes possible

[@raymondsmith6870]

No record of such. Roman culture expert Shadi Bartsch, the University of Chicago’s Helen A. Regenstein Distinguished Service Professor of Classics, But Gladiator II’s most glaring flight of fancy are that battle’s shark-infested waters. “There were no sharks - ever - in the arena,” says Bartsch. “It would've been very hard to transport sharks for one thing, given that they'd have to be transported in water vessels.” And while it’s true there were and are shark species in the Mediterranean sea, none liked “to bite humans, and in fact, they probably didn't because they were small.”

[@DrDoohickey]

Nope

[@UnderworldBoo]

"Embracing Masculinity in 2024 is basically the equivalent of being a criminal because Man= bad" really you wrote that and thought... let share that on the internet. I don't know what Andrew Tate video you have been watching that you feel comfortable saying this. Lucius is asked what he wanted to become a Gladiator and his replayed was the "the whole Roman army" and settled for the General. His revenge was due to a Roman Army that took his peace. I think this movie has masculinity is spades. what is lacking is a heartbeat, tenderness and love. As a girl who loved the first Gladiator I was disappointed by the sequel because all it had was male bravado. The scrip was trying to achieve too many things at once. and it fell short.

[@neptuneninja]

Another parrot 🦜!!! oh men are so victimised these days 😢 I am so crying 😂 for the hardships you endure 😣!!! 🥱🙄😵

[@probableflaws3597]

It’s weird I watch Movie Overlord because he doesn’t play into the culture war bullshit like some other KZbinrs, but I gotta say that hard right turn about masculinity was weird as fuck. There’s so much going wrong with this film, not allowing men to be men is some out of left field shit. Made absolutely no sense

[@spiveyg89]

I agree. I saw the movie didn't feel insecure at all

[@neptuneninja]

@@probableflaws3597 Yeah, who knows what all these idiots see in their imagination. I suppose a ghost 👻 buster sees ghost behind every tree, corner or area devoid of light. There’s a term for that “Pareidolia”, basically you see your biases reflected in your environment. One thing I do know is it’s infecting people at a staggering rate. In their universe an original thought 💭, is like El Dorado. There are murmurs that such a such a thing exists but it’s never been found and most likely doesn’t exist !!!