Gladiator 2

[AsUpRoDiGy]

Damn… that meh, huh? Are the spectacle and Denzel not even enough to make it entertaining?

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[Shane]

There were some entertaining parts, mainly provided by the nostalgia factor.

Didn’t like Denzel in the role. So many things happened with ZERO context. Just didn’t work very well.

Halfway through I was hoping Djimon was in the movie. Alas, I was disappointed.

I don’t think it’s a bad movie, and on its own I might even love it. But as a sequel to a vastly superior movie? Meh.

I was actually really hoping his character would be in it as well

 

[Stout]

Probably seeing it on Wednesday. Good to go in with low expectations and hopefully be pleasantly surprised….

I did just that and was disappointed anyway lol

 

[Stout]

There were some entertaining parts, mainly provided by the nostalgia factor.

Didn’t like Denzel in the role. So many things happened with ZERO context. Just didn’t work very well.

Halfway through I was hoping Djimon was in the movie. Alas, I was disappointed.

I don’t think it’s a bad movie, and on its own I might even love it. But as a sequel to a vastly superior movie? Meh.

What really bothered me with the Denzel role wasn't his acting--he was fine. It was the writing. Just when he would approach a good moment in a scene, where you know there's tension to come, the scene would end and nothing happened. Ugh!

The nostalgia factor actually made it worse to me, because it told me the movie had nothing really going for it and they just had to constantly hearken back to the first one for effect.

Also:

Spoiler

Do we, what, have no more emperors and now just have the senate rule again? Because, I get he rather stupidly and un-inclusively killed off the first black Roman emperor before he became emperor, but to say there are no more emperors is sheer idiocy.

 

[oaken1]

What really bothered me with the Denzel role wasn't his acting--he was fine. It was the writing. Just when he would approach a good moment in a scene, where you know there's tension to come, the scene would end and nothing happened. Ugh!

The nostalgia factor actually made it worse to me, because it told me the movie had nothing really going for it and they just had to constantly hearken back to the first one for effect.

Also:

Spoiler

Do we, what, have no more emperors and now just have the senate rule again? Because, I get he rather stupidly and un-inclusively killed off the first black Roman emperor before he became emperor, but to say there are no more emperors is sheer idiocy.

I hear they also ret conned Lucias Varus to be the biological son of Maximus

 

[Stout]

I hear they also ret conned Lucias Varus to be the biological son of Maximus

Yeah, it was really, really bad all around with all that stuff. I'd say half an hour of screen time was in some way pining/reminiscing/talking about/directly quoting the first movie. Blech.

 

[oaken1]

Yeah, it was really, really bad all around with all that stuff. I'd say half an hour of screen time was in some way pining/reminiscing/talking about/directly quoting the first movie. Blech.

Would have been less cheesy had Maximus actual son somehow avoided the soldiers and they burned a stable boy in his place...then days later he was caught by slavers and when he got too old to be a house boy slave he was sold to a ludis to be a gladiator....where he learned of his father's fate and glorious vengeance upon Commodus.

 

[Stout]

Would have been less cheesy had Maximus actual son somehow avoided the soldiers and they burned a stable boy in his place...then days later he was caught by slavers and when he got too old to be a house boy slave he was sold to a ludis to be a gladiator....where he learned of his father's fate and glorious vengeance upon Commodus.

That would have been a much, much better approach. Not perfect, but better.

 

[Chaplin]

I hear they also ret conned Lucias Varus to be the biological son of Maximus

They hinted at it in the first movie -- well, at least they are saying NOW that they hinted at it, although it's a stretch.

It occurs when Lucilla and Maximus have a conversation about their sons being "nearly 8".

It's also possible that Lucilla was lying, or even mistaken. Because why wouldn't she? Maximus was a love of her life and her husband at the time was an arranged marriage -- why wouldn't she just say Maximus was Luscius' father if it gives her better opportunity to manipulate him?

 

[oaken1]

They hinted at it in the first movie -- well, at least they are saying NOW that they hinted at it, although it's a stretch.

It occurs when Lucilla and Maximus have a conversation about their sons being "nearly 8".

It's also possible that Lucilla was lying, or even mistaken. Because why wouldn't she? Maximus was a love of her life and her husband at the time was an arranged marriage -- why wouldn't she just say Maximus was Luscius' father if it gives her better opportunity to manipulate him?

nah...

he is nearly 8..."my son is also nearly 8"

This indicates the boys were conceived at the same time...roughly of course...
in order for Maximus to father Lucias he would have had to be un faithful to his wife.
Maximus was a man of honor. Not only that, he was a man who carried carvings of his family and basically prayed to them every night. even his sense of duty and loyalty to Caesar would not push him to be disloyal to his wife. He and Drusilla were obviously an item at one point but not in the last ten years.

 

[Chaplin]

nah...

he is nearly 8..."my son is also nearly 8"

This indicates the boys were conceived at the same time...roughly of course...
in order for Maximus to father Lucias he would have had to be un faithful to his wife.
Maximus was a man of honor. Not only that, he was a man who carried carvings of his family and basically prayed to them every night. even his sense of duty and loyalty to Caesar would not push him to be disloyal to his wife. He and Drusilla were obviously an item at one point but not in the last ten years.

Fine, you disagree, but please keep in mind it's not my opinion, just reporting what I've seen elsewhere. Besides, this lends credence to my theory that Lucilla is lying about Maximus being his father. Funny how you ignored that part of my post.

 

[oaken1]

Fine, you disagree, but please keep in mind it's not my opinion, just reporting what I've seen elsewhere. Besides, this lends credence to my theory that Lucilla is lying about Maximus being his father. Funny how you ignored that part of my post.

she was definitely duplicitous.... perhaps she told Lucius this because Maximus was popular with the people and it distanced him from Commodus. politics and position was precarious for a single mother back then Im sure.

 

[Chaplin]

she was definitely duplicitous.... perhaps she told Lucius this because Maximus was popular with the people and it distanced him from Commodus. politics and position was precarious for a single mother back then Im sure.

She definitely needed something to push him to her way of thinking. Being the son of a hero was it.