24 years on from the original Gladiator movie, Ridley Scott is bringing Rome to its knees once more in a legacy sequel of epic proportions in Gladiator 2 with a new cast led by Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal. The project came as something of a surprise to many when it was first announced, but if there's one thing everyone should know by now, it's to never doubt Scott when he is coming up with new ideas. And, judging by the first wave of Gladiator 2 reviews, the iconic filmmaker has succeeded once again.
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In many ways, Gladiator 2 bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor. That much is clear from the trailers and synopsis alone, with a story of revenge, passion, and corruption underpinning the film. But, digging deeper into the new movie and the Gladiator characters, it is clear that Scott has very intentionally presented his audience with a fascinating yin and yang scenario through Russell Crowe's Maximus and his counterpart in the sequel, Pascal's Marcus Acacius. The two are frighteningly similar in many ways but are separated by a few very crucial differences.
How Acacius Is Similar To Maximus In Gladiator 2
Pedro Pascal's Character Has Lots In Common With Russell Crowe's Hero
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The most obvious comparison between Maximus and Acacius is that they both wield great power in their roles as Roman generals. Both are highly respected and revered for their ability to command and wade into battle and have built great reputations as leaders of men, and ruthless killers when the time calls for it. This is unsurprising given Marcus Acacius trained and served under Maximus before the events of this second film. Acacius has followed in his mentor's footsteps and forged a career as a decorated general, but that's not the only similarity they share.
The first Gladiator film explores the grief of Maximus in the wake of his beloved wife and son being murdered, but it also offers hints as to the hidden feelings shared between Russell Crowe's protagonist and Marcus Aurelius' daughter, Lucilla. The pair were romantically involved when they were a lot younger, but went their separate ways and married other people. However, their love for one another very obviously lingered, even if they both could not admit it.
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In Gladiator 2, Lucilla, having been widowed, is now in a romantic relationship with Acacius and, at least at first, is very much in love with the impressive general. It's a fascinating dynamic, given we know how closely Acacius worked alongside Maximus, and it is yet another common interest the two characters share. However, when her son, Lucius, returns to Rome filled with rage and a desire to get revenge on Acacius, Lucilla's commitment to her new love interest will naturally come under a great degree of strain.
Acacius' Similarities To Maximus Emphasize Their Dark Differences
Acacius Is Everything Maximus Fought Against
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Though Maximus and Acacius may seem similar on the surface, they are actually very different at their core. Maximus was a stoic yet sincere man, whose entire journey was dictated by his strong set of principles and morals. He was fiercely loyal to his men and to his superiors, but was ultimately a very virtuous person who always stood up for what he felt was right. Based on what we know, the same cannot be said about Acacius.
While Maximus and Acacius are not based on real historical figures at all, Denzel Washington's character, Macrinus, and Joaquin Phoenix's character from the first Gladiator movie, Commodus, were both inspired by genuine rules from Ancient Rome.
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Acacius led his men into Africa and ordered the brutal slaying of innocent women and children. That was technically his job, but one would have to imagine this is not something Maximus would allow to happen on his watch. Acacius is a man far more inclined to do what is necessary than what is right, regardless of the cost. While Maximus was not afraid to get his hands bloody, it was always in the pursuit of justice, whereas for Acacius, it is more of a means to an end for his own ambitions.
Ultimately, Maximus was the victim of the wills of a power-crazed Emperor, forced to fight back against the system he was molded by. Acacius, on the other hand, appears to be the one driving that savagery in Gladiator 2, embracing the chaos and the cutthroat nature of the Roman Empire.
8/10
Gladiator II
Not Yet Rated
Action
Drama
Epic
History
Adventure
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott's award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Release Date
- November 22, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Paramount Pictures , Universal Pictures , Scott Free Productions , Red Wagon Entertainment
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Writers
- David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni
- Cast
- Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz
- Character(s)
- Lucius Verus , Marcus Acacius , Macrinus , Lucilla , Emperor Caracalla , Emperor Geta , Gracchus
- prequel(s)
- Gladiator
- Main Genre
- Adventure
