[ad_1]
Remarkably, despite just one week at the box office and a mere three days in US theaters, Gladiator II has slashed right through to the edge of the top 20 movies of the year worldwide, and, in doing so, has already surpassed the global total of another of the year’s highest-profile sequels, Joker: Folie á Deux. Ridley Scott‘s swords-and-sandals sequel has already amassed $221 million globally, $15 million higher than the Joker sequel’s feeble $206 million.
However, this will come as no surprise to anyone keeping even the edge of their ear to the theatrical ground, with Joker: Folie á Deux‘s terrible reviews — highlighted by an awful 32% audience and critical score on Rotten Tomatoes — creating a toxic first reaction to the film that led to many avoiding their local screenings. For Gladiator II, despite both benefiting from highly-rated first outings, it is positive word-of-mouth that has led to a strong early theatrical run, showcased by a certified fresh 72% critical score and an even better 84% audience rating.
Denzel Washington Is Oscar Worthy in ‘Gladiator II’
Although there’s plenty to like in the Gladiator sequel, from breathtaking action sequences to smart political theming, there’s not a soul who left their screening that didn’t gush over the performance of Denzel Washington as Macrinus. Based on the real historical figure, Macrinus is a former slave owner with a dream of one day finding revenge by controlling Rome and delivering bloody punishment. Caught up in this evil plan as his prized possession is Paul Mescal‘s Lucius, with Washington easily delivering almost all the movie’s most memorable moments. Because of this colossal performance, Washington is already being touted as a strong contender for the Best Supporting Actor award at next year’s Oscars. One such critic to praise Washington for his turn as Macrinus is Collider’s Ross Bonaime, who said in his review:
“But as one might expect, all of these supporting performances are
overshadowed by Denzel Washington
, whose Macrinus is electric in every scene. Even though this is a supporting role, Washington commands our attention,
making even the best actors in any given scene seem like amateurs by comparison
. There’s a Shakespearian quality to Washington’s performance, and he’s delightfully devious in how he uses others to get what he wants. While everyone else in this film seems to be playing checkers, Washington’s Macrinus is playing political chess, and it’s wonderful to see Washington relish in a role that allows him to be this untrustworthy.”
Gladiator II has already surpassed Joker: Folie á Deux at the global 2024 box office. You can catch Gladiator II in theaters now.
Lucius Verus, the son of Maximus’s beloved Lucilla, returns to Rome after years in the wilderness. Captured by Roman forces led by General Marcus Acacius, he is thrust into the gladiatorial arena. As he battles for survival, he encounters Macrinus, a former slave-turned-merchant, and faces the corrupt twin emperors Caracalla and Geta.
- Release Date
- November 22, 2024
- 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
- Runtime
- 148 minutes
- Writers
- David Scarpa , Peter Craig , David Franzoni
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
- Character(s)
- Lucius Verus , Marcus Acacius , Macrinus , Lucilla , Emperor Caracalla , Emperor Geta , Gracchus
[ad_2]
Source link
