24/44
From Carmen and “St
Narrative
After his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who currently rule Rome, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and must look to the past to find the strength to restore the glory of Rome to the people. Elsewhere” to “Stranger Things,” check out the TV and movie roles of Gladiator II stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and more. In the years since the first movie came out, there have been many attempts to write a sequel. Musician Nick Cave was commissioned by Russell Crowe and Sir Ridley Scott to write a version, his version focused on the more mythic elements of ancient Rome and depicted Maximus arriving in the afterlife to face other souls who rise even higher, eventually being commissioned by Jupiter and the other Roman deities , to return to earth to find and kill Hephaestus, the former god who betrayed them. From there, he is resurrected as a Christian and travels back to Rome to stop the spread of Christianity, as his paths cross with the new emperor, Lucius , that Maximus is cursed to live forever, with a montage of soldiers fighting during the Crusades, World War II, and the Vietnam War, eventually revealing a modern Maximus in the Pentagon in Washington. The studio decided not to make this version, but the script can be read online.
Lucius: Strength and honor
In the backyard of Drusilla’s house is a pond with nishikigoi or koi carp, which are Asian. While it is true that Rome had trade routes with China and this could be interpreted as Drusilla’s great wealth, this particular colorful breed of koi was not bred until the late 19th century. A pre-cut, M-rated version was shown in Australian cinemas. At least 3 scenes were cut: Cut #1 – Lucius (Paul Mescal) decapitates his opponent at the first Roman games. The front was cut off to remove the swords attached to the head. Halfway through he cuts out the stump and blood splatters.
Appears in The 7PM Project: Episode 3 July 2024 (2024)
Cut 2 – Macrinus (Denzel Washington) slits the throat of Emperor Geta (Joseph Quinn). Missing is the opening long shot of the neck being cut and the blood splattering. The next close-up has been zoomed in to the left to remove the constant cut to the neck and the splatter of blood on the right. Cut #3 – Macrinus drives spikes into Emperor Caracalla’s (Fred Hechinger) ears. The red blood coming out of his ears is now green and yellow. My main problem with this movie is Paul Mescal’s complete lack of seriousness.
Paul Mescal just doesn’t have it
Russell Crow commanded respect, he had a huge screen presence and it was easy to believe he was the leader of the men. He tried very hard in the talisman’s speeches, but the music had to carry them, not the command of the screen. Even his physical presence was disappointing, he looked like a boy pretending to be a man. Emperors also lacked a sense of real danger and tyranny. Every time I reminisce about the original, I’m reminded of how weak this movie is in comparison. If you were hoping for a performance close to Russell Crowe or Mel Gibson in Braveheart, you will be sorely disappointed.
Without the charisma and emotional seriousness of the protagonist, everything else fails
Paul Mascal’s character was very empty, he seemed like an ordinary person, nothing made him stand out. This movie is a textbook example of how actors can make or break a movie.