Gladiator 2

– Ridley Scott’s unnecessary sequel to arguably his best film is disappointing both in how hard it tries to mimic its progenitor, sacrificing any semblance of originality or novelty, and how hard it fails, falling short in every category – cheesy but unemotive, rushed but too long, unrealistic but also unimaginative. At best, and generously, it’s kind of a blast, in a glossy, overtly cinematic, hyperbolic and hammy 300 / Mad Max sort of way.