Gladiator II (2024)

A sequel to ​Ridley Scott's beloved 2000's Best Picture winner Gladiator wasn't on my bucket list. In fact, I wasn't a huge fan of the original when I recently watched it. The 2000's shaky cam fad was in full force and the action scenes are a pain to get through. Thankfully, this update on Scott's story features incredible action cinematography. No shaky cam. Better CGI animals. Sharks. You didn't expect sharks? Me neither. There are some fun surprises here including Denzel's great performance. Despite seeming unnecessary, it does a decent job of wrapping up loose ends from the first movie. However, it doesn't quite hit emotionally on the same level as the original. It's missing something, most likely Russell Crowe, or maybe I'm just playing hard to get. Amidst a year of releases ranging from amazing to terrible, I think Gladiator II is worth the time investment for some healthy fun, but it didn't stick with me after walking out the theater doors.

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