On November 22nd, 2024, the most anticipated sequel of the year releases to the public, and after a multi-decade wait since the first, classic film Gladiator starring Russel Crowe, fans are both pleased and extremely worried about this movie's debut. It is a popular opinion that Gladiator did not need a sequel, and after the numerous trailers showcasing the usual overdramatic, in your face action, many have compared it to Game of Thrones, claiming that it was too similar, and trying to be something it's not. However, a lot of buzz and excitement is present among the many fans of the first film, so it's all going to come down to release day to see how this one turns out. There are a lot of things going for, and against this movie, so it will be a very controversial release.
Now, there are some major cons. To start things off, the main concern is a pretty big thing for many viewers, and a lot of people have been pointing this particular fact out. This being a new cast, which surprisingly can turn viewers away. Many people don’t want a new story, and thought that Gladiator was good enough on its own, making it even more of a negative as a new cast of popular actors such as Pedro Pascal, well known for his performance in the hit tv-series The Mandalorian takes Russel Crowe's former spotlight. The trailers didn’t help either, as it was a little too modern, played with rap music, and flashy overexaggerated images. Although there are many more, there is one more big thing to point out, the historical inaccuracies, which plague this film.
Of course, there are pros as well, such as Ridley Scott returning to direct the sequel, as he’s been on a sort of historical kick, also directing the movie Napoleon last year as well. It is also many people’s opinion that the cast is positive, it really just comes to your preference. Early reviews so far have painted this film in a good spotlight, hopefully meaning there is more good than bad across the board. Additionally, after interviewing a fellow student on his thoughts for the film, he noted this. “It probably won’t be as good as the first one since it's coming out many years later, but I think they put in a lot of time into making it look good before releasing the trailer, so it has the chance. I am excited to see it with my friend when it is released.” (James Wong, Senior) In the end, it is the viewer's opinion on whether this is a sequel that pays homage to the previous film, or simply destroys its legacy. This film will be hated no matter what it does, as many sequels do, but so far, it's on track to do a good job. Keeping that in mind, if it turns out like Napoleon, then maybe it’s time to just put this series to rest.
Written by: Andrew Van Beveren
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