Lucille sending child Lucius away is completely contrived… commodus is dead and the senator reinstated. Quintus is also around to protect him. There was zero reason for this movie’s plot to happen at all. Even for a cash grab this was lazy.
shareIt's not only contrived, but even the little things are laughable.
I loved how when Lucius is focused on the monkey that all the other monkeys were kind enough to let him square off for his individual fight (to be fair, there are a zillion films like this -- in battle scenes when a main character is focused on something -- usually a dying comrade -- no one disturbs them as the batter ranges all around). Then . . once he finishes strangling the monkey, the battle is over! What -- everyone else simultaneously just killed their own monkey? What timing!
When Lucius is visited by him mother in his cell. He yells "get out!" and immediately someone on the other side of the prison door shouts to his mother "we need to go!"
And on and on.
The film felt way too rushed. I know running times are an issue. But there was a better version of this film waiting to be made that's an hour longer.