MovieChat Forums > Gladiator II (2024) Discussion > Weak plot (spoilers)

Weak plot (spoilers)

posted 2 months ago by fc31 (6110)
5 replies | jump to latest

Like many have said Denzel was only thing worth watching in this film.

Connie Nielsen did an adequate job.

Pedro Pascal's General Acacius was unconvincing, he did not look like a general soldiers would die for, someone with a commanding presence and authority.

Paul Mescal's Lucius was the weakest part, Macrinus kept saying there was a rage, fury, in him, that is why he was invincible. But I just don't see rage, I see a laid back guy, articulate, well educated, did not even look sad to be a slave, did not look that sad after his wife died. The only time he was even upset was seeing his mother.

Russell Crowe has this intensity, Paul Mescal just doesn't.

How did Lucius grow up? He was well educated, probably had a decent up-bring, then why he hated his mother so much?

He basically became the leader of gladiators, how did he gain this authority? I don't really see leadership in him, so that was not well explained or developed.

Didn't he want the entire Roman army to die? Then soon after he talked about a Rome he wanted, since when did he start thinking fighting for a free Rome? And commanding the army killed his wife?

It is just weird.

I can't put too much blames on the actors, they are given an script don't make that much sense.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (18420) a month ago

I liked it for what it was. But yeah, the script is pretty bad. Even for one of these late-arrival sequels. It really felt like a first draft and rushed for the most part. Like that final battle and the ending felt like a thirty-minute scene trimmed to about 12, 15 minutes. I know Mescal's wife died in the beginning and he's out for revenge, but I don't think that's engaging enough for the audience. I remember them saying an actress was cut from the final version and I bet she was in all the scenes that Mescal had with the Indian doctor. I know it sounds corny but perhaps a romance could had improved a lot of it.

[–] fc31 (6110) a month ago

Yeah, that would have made a lot of sense. There has to be a reason for him to forget his late wife, and start thinking about the future of Rome, otherwise the 180 degree turn from "the entire Roman army to die" to "give order to the army killed his wife" is too hard to understand.

[–] redban (6771) a month ago

I actually think Denzel is a weak part. He spoke and acted like a 2024 individual instead of a character from ancient history, and at the end, he wasn’t convincing as a physical threat to Lucius

I thought Pascal was the best character. He was charismatic, and his character’s position of being a good general serving a wicked regime had a lot of depth. He could have been the main character instead of Lucius

With Lucius, the main issue is that they tried to do Russel Crow/Maximus Part II, which was a doomed endeavor from the start

[–] fc31 (6110) a month ago

There was a bit of that, Macrinus is kind of too modern in his manners, there are places it was a bit weird.

I also don't like the fact Macrinus was a real historic figure, and Macrinus in history did not die like that, he became Roman emperor for a short period of time. I think they should have created a fictional figure, like in the original movie.

But throughout the movie he stood out the most. Like what was said in game of thrones, you don't need the knowledge of wines, you tongue can tell. And after the movie Denzel's performance was the only thing (other than those weird monkeys in arena, and how bad the CGI was) left an impression.

[–] CommonSense (344) 21 days ago

And even Danzel's character and performance was underwhelming for him in my opinion.

Im with you on alot of the points for the rest of what you said. It was really weird and awkward. Pushed, skipped, lazy, a little of all, idk exactly.

I thought the end was hurried and skipped through. Both Denzel and Lucius both at coliseum as Denzel shoots Lucilla with a bow. Then all a sudden both were out in front of their side of the armies. As the person said above, a scene that should've been much longer was cut and done in a third or even a quarter of what it needed

Other questions to ask along with yours. How did Lucius get out through the Roman City army? Why wouldn't Denzel shoot Lucius first? Lucilla is tied up. With Lucius' death wouldn't the 5k army stand down?