Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Gladiator IIis being called “epic” and Paul Mescal “mesmerising” in the first reviews of the new Ridley Scott historical blockbuster.
The sequel to the Oscar winning 2000 film starring Russell Crowe, sees the nephew of Maximus, Lucius (Mescal) enter the collesseum after the Roman emperors, Geta and Caracalla conquer his home and force him into slavery.
The film, which did originally star Barry Keoghan and has seen Denzel Washington touted to be a major awards contender, has now been greeted to mostly positive reviews, with many critics praising the film for being fun.
For The Independent, Clarisse Loughrey called the film “pure camp” while also highlighting the impressive naval battle scene in the Colosseum, which historically happened, albeit without sharks.
In a four-star review for The Telegraph, Robbie Collin said that Washington’s “juicy role translates into pure pleasure for the audience,” adding that “Unfortunately he’s so good he rather eclipses the rest of the cast”.
Erik Anderson for Awards Watch said that “Paul Mescal is a worthy successor to the throne” while Tim Grieson in Screen International wrote: “Washington radiates a showman’s delight, relishing his character’s deviousness.”
There were some detractors, though, who weren’t so wowed by Scott’s latest effort.
In a two-star review for The Irish Times, Donald Clarke wrote: “The screenplay is mere scaffolding on which to mount endless samey – albeit delightfully disgusting – exercises in competitive viscera-letting.”
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music
Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)
Kevin Maher of The Times called it “Scott’s most disappointing ‘legacy sequel’ since Prometheus “and posed the apt question: “Are you not entertained? No, not really.”
Meanwhile, Hannah Strong for Little White Lies accused the film of being “a case of throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks,” adding that “this sequel lacks both the impact of its inspiration and the fresh ideas necessary to stand on its own two feet”.
Prior to the release of the movie, Dr Shadi Bartsch, a classics professor at the University of Chicago with degrees from Princeton, Harvard and UC Berkeley told criticised the aforementioned naval battle scene, telling the The Hollywood Reporter it is “total Hollywood bulls***.”
“I don’t think Romans knew what a shark was,” added Dr Bartsch, although she did acknowledge that the Romans really did fill the Colosseum with water in order to hold naval battles in the arena.
A more blatant anachronism is the scene in which a Roman noble is depicted reading a morning newspaper while sipping tea in a cafe. The printing press would not be invented for another 1,200 years.
“They did have daily news – Acta Diuma – but it was carved and placed at certain locations,” explained Dr Bartsch. “You had to go to it, you couldn’t hold it at a cafe. Also, they didn’t have cafes!”
