The success of Gladiator in 2000 inspired a host of sword and sandal pretenders, but none came close to the film that returned Ridley Scott to the director’s top table and shot Russell Crowe into the stratosphere. A quarter of a century later, the expectations for the belated but inevitable sequel are as high as Maximus, or now Lucius, walking into the Coliseum.

Almost two decades on from the events of Gladiator, Rome is under the rule of the twisted twin emperors Geta and Caracalla. By now, Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal), nephew of Emperor Commodus, has established himself as the warrior Hanno in Numidia after his mother Lucilla (Connie Neilsen) swiftly arranged his passage from Rome following his uncle’s downfall. When the reluctantly successful General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) conquers the Numidian kingdom, Lucius is captured and falls into the ownership of ambitious and devious former slave Macrinus.

Promised the opportunity to kill Acacius, Lucius embarks on a successful gladiatorial career that recalls the legendary Maximus and inspires hope in those who remember that the corruption of Rome can be overcome, just as Macrinus’s master plan for total control comes to fruition. 

Few people will be heading into Gladiator II for historical truth, and returning director Ridley Scott knows that better than anyone. Gladiator II makes its predecessor look like a school textbook on Imperial Rome, as it unleashes mutant monkeys and sharks in the Empire’s gladiatorial arenas. Yes, fans of bloody gladiatorial combat should be satisfied by its dedication to upping the ante.

It’s not fun to refer to an original film too much when reviewing a sequel, especially when it comes more than two decades later. But there are two very good reasons why Gladiator is impossible to ignore. One, Gladiator II is obsessed with its forbear, distractingly obsessed, and finds every possible reason to tie itself into the original, mirror and quote it. Second, it fails to live up to its predecessor on every level, which in itself is a spectacular achievement and worthy of several thumbs up.

Yes, Gladiator II is a perfect sequel in that it takes the original elements and ratchets them up. There’s an opening battle, but instead of a forest, it’s a sea-to-land assault. The first film had a dodgy emperor; this one has two. There are epic scrapes in the Coliseum, but now it’s flooded and swarming with sharks. Survivors from the original? Make sure they die.

Where it diverges from Gladiator, it feels like a reaction. Macrinus is an unredeemed take on Oliver Reed’s Proximo. In Gladiator II, the mechanism for Lucius to slay and batter to the third act is both mentor and manipulator. You can’t go wrong with Denzel Washington, making no effort to modify his Bronx draw, who’s clearly having a ball swooshing his villainous role around like a toga, to the point it’s a wonder if any direction was involved.

Paul Mescal’s Lucius has fascinating promise as a cultured warrior combining the lineage of ruler and general. But he’s wasted as the new Maximus knowingly being the next Maximus. It’s not that Mescal is terrible – he’s a brilliant scene-stealer and casting that justifies the sequel’s delay. When faced with extraordinary opposition and impossible odds, his grin and mania are infectious. 

But Mescal and Washington stood no chance of being the new Crowe and Reed with such a prosaic script. While Gladiator was wholly quotable from beginning to end, the only quotes the sequel offers to the gods are lifted from the original. 

Gladiator writers John Logan and David Franzoni had a grip on story and script that are sorely missed this time around. A functional script mainly interested in connecting dots robs the film of the first instalment’s poetry. That’s something that can’t be made up by the visuals, not that returning cinematographer John Mathieson doesn’t work some wonders. Also, it’s not that there isn’t typical art in Scott’s distinctive direction, like a moment where a slain opponent’s arm falls against Lucius as his body is dragged off. But the cohesive visual language necessary to add depth to this story of revenge is missing. The lack of Lisa Gerard and Han Zimmer on the score is also felt, although Harry Gregson-Williams at least tries something different.

The supporting actors try their best but often expose missed opportunities. Pascal is wholly wasted, with no attempt to draw obvious parallels with Maximus. Worse is the fate of Lucilla. One of the dark thrills in Gladiator was watching her journey from a privileged princess to an abused mother fearful for her and her son’s life. There’s no such character arc in the sequel. It’s just one of many that are wasted. 

The twin emperors are disposable costumed villains, representing the idea of power and little else (Quinn’s gift for villainy is particularly wasted). Gladiator explored the conundrum of Commodus—seizing power at all costs only to realise (if never accept) he’d never have the abilities or popularity of his father or rival. Randomly throwing senators to the lions doesn’t make up for it (sorry, Sir Derek Jacobi).

A period action epic has the chance to fuse shining elements of Golden Age Hollywood and take viewers on an incredible journey rooted in legend and history. They can inspire and entertain, but never leave us indifferent. Gladiator resonated with modern audiences for a host of reasons. As it limps away from the promise of two Roman armies clashing on the Fields of Mars. Gladiator II leaves having said little about anything.