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Ridley Scott has crafted a serviceable sequel to his Best Picture-winning, Russell Crowe-starring epic, but Gladiator II pales in comparison to the previous chapter – delivered 24 years ago. Leaving your expectations at the door will serve the sequel better.

The narrative may follow a different character, but the trajectory is strikingly similar to the first film—perhaps unnecessarily so. The tragedy and revenge-driven, fight-for-your-freedom-in-the-arena arc is once again in play, only with less surprise and emotional impact than the first outing. The similarities also invite further comparison. While I understand the desire to recapture the magic of the first film, and the idea that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” I can’t help but feel it would have benefited from a wholly different angle.

Scott’s skill in crafting strong visuals and big-screen spectacle remains intact, and there are some undeniably impressive set pieces. However, some of the more obvious CGI-fuelled moments are a drawback, detracting from what are otherwise engaging, fun ideas. The first film, of course, had plenty of computer wizardry, but the balance between practical spectacle and digital mayhem felt more natural. There’s certainly more of a drive to lean into sillier (still, fun) action here, so perhaps I should be a little more forgiving of questionable apes and sharks?

The narrative itself, while engaging enough, lacks a strong emotional through-line to drive our hero’s journey. It’s all there on paper, but Paul Mescal’s Lucius isn’t a captivating enough character to pull us in the way Crowe’s Maximus did. Mescal is undeniably talented, but Lucius is… not bland exactly, but too broadly drawn for this viewer to fully connect with his plight. Thankfully, the supporting characters are more compelling. Denzel Washington steals the show as the conniving Macrinus, and Pedro Pascal brings his usual magnetism to the role of Marcus Acacius—although I thought he was severely underused.

While the pacing is solid and there’s a satisfying escalation towards the dramatic conclusion, I found the final few beats to be underwhelming. Without giving anything away, the sudden character build-ups and drops, the awkward geographical layout of the brutal confrontations, and the unfulfilled tease of something much bigger all left me wanting more.

Gladiator II is a second chapter that, while certainly entertaining and bolstered by various strong elements, is dwarfed under the shadow of its predecessor.