GladIIator

Directed by Ridley Scott, GladIIator follows Paul Mescal’s Lucius as he’s captured during battle and forced to become a gladiator for a former slave named Macrinus (Denzel Washington). Filmmaker Scott, armed with a script by David Scarpa, delivers a predominantly (and disappointingly) underwhelming sequel that proves unable to capture the viewer’s interest and attention for more than a few minutes at a time, and there’s little doubt, certainly, that the picture gets off to as uninvolving a start as one could possibly envision – with the context-free, generic battle that kicks off the proceedings establishing an arms-length atmosphere that persists throughout. From there, GladIIator segues into a hit-and-miss midsection that admittedly does contain a small handful of compelling sequences, including (and especially) a terrific scene wherein Lucius and another slave fight to death within a confined space, but rarely becomes as continuously engrossing as one might’ve expected (and hoped) – with the competent yet far-from-commanding lead performance and lackluster gladiatorial digressions (eg so much CGI) compounding the less-than-enthralling vibe. By the time the somewhat endless third act rolls around, GladIIator has cemented its place as an ill-advised followup that possesses exceedingly little of its predecessor’s spellbinding, captivating ambiance – which is a shame, ultimately, given that the picture boasts several above-average attributes (eg a predictably charismatic turn by Washington).

** out of ****