Review It Yourself celebrates five years of the podcast with a proper reunion as Sean and Sarah finally find themselves recording in the same room — and, naturally, the conversation quickly goes everywhere.
This time, they’re reviewing Gladiator II (2024), Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning Gladiator. Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Joseph Quinn, the film takes us back to Ancient Rome, the Colosseum and the brutal world of gladiatorial combat.
But is Gladiator II simply a sequel trading on the legacy of the original, or does it actually have something of its own to say?
Sean and Sarah get properly stuck into what works — and what doesn’t — including the film’s ensemble cast, pacing, action sequences, political intrigue, performances, production design, music and connection to the original Gladiator.
They discuss Paul Mescal’s Lucius, Pedro Pascal’s battle-weary Roman general Acacius, Connie Nielsen’s return as Lucilla and Denzel Washington’s scene-stealing performance as Macrinus. There’s also plenty of appreciation for the supporting cast, with the pair arguing that the film works particularly well when viewed as an ensemble rather than simply as a Paul Mescal vehicle.
The conversation also explores the film’s depiction of power in Ancient Rome, the role of the Praetorian Guard, the use of the Colosseum as political theatre, and how the increasingly spectacular gladiatorial games become another weapon in the struggle for control.
And then there’s the action.
From gladiatorial battles and spectacular set pieces to the film’s surprisingly effective pacing, Sean and Sarah look at why a 142-minute historical epic manages to feel considerably shorter than some much less ambitious films.
They also get into the things that took them out of the experience — including the marketing and trailer, and a few moments that invite the inevitable question: what exactly were they thinking?
There’s plenty of discussion about the relationship between Gladiator II and the original 2000 film, including the returning characters, the way the sequel connects to its predecessor and whether the call-backs feel natural or forced.
And, because this is Review It Yourself, the discussion inevitably goes off on several tangents along the way.
Expect Gladiator II spoilers, film trivia, disagreements, laughs, random faff and a few detours that have absolutely nothing to do with Ancient Rome.
Most importantly, this episode marks five years of Review It Yourself — five years of film reviews, arguments, tangents, questionable opinions and Sean and Sarah talking about the films they love, hate and everything in between.
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What did you think of Gladiator II? Did it live up to the legacy of the original, or did you go into the arena expecting something different?
Listen to the episode, join the conversation and let us know what you think.
And Thank You for five years of Review It Yourself. Here's to many more years of films, faff and completely unnecessary tangents.
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