Gladiator II

Rating	Runtime	Rate
R	2 h 28 mins	4

The dream that Marcus Aurelius and Maximus shared for Rome is no more. Twin emperors took over the empire and drove it to ruin by focusing on war, conquest, and neglecting its people. A prisoner of one of these conquests turns into a champion gladiator as he works his way through the games. Something about this gladiator piques the interest of those who crave power, are in control, and could be what Rome needs.

This is another sequel more than two decades in the making. There is a significant jump in time, but the story does a good job of filling in the missing time. The story heavily references the first movie. The action could be better and is more far-fetched compared to the first movie. The two-hour and twenty-eight-minute run time is spread more over politics than the action, similar to the first movie. This is an excellent sequel and does the first movie justice. Fans of the original will surely enjoy this one as well, and to get the full effect, it is best to see it on the big screen.