Innards coiling beneath the blazing sun; sand matted in clumps of blood and brain matter. Your thumb held horizontal, fate in the palm of your hand. It has been some twenty-four years since these pits last saw bloodshed, since this symphony of clashing swords sliced through bated breath. That last tenure saw accolades and ovations; this sequel stands before you now with arms outstretched. Are you not entertained?

Enslaved amidst the Roman Empires ruthless expansions, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to fight for his freedom in the Flavian amphitheatre, a place where both his lineage and destiny collide.

 From the rocky shores of Numidia to the marble floors of the Roman senate, Gladiator II is a swords and sandals epic, gargantuan in spectacle. Director Sir Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator) doesn't reinvent the wheel, but he gives it a darn good spin; showing no signs of slowing down as he weaves this gleefully farcical tale, that above all else, has fun with its concept. David Scarpa's screenplay is derivative, generic, and all the better for it. It's a heroes journey as old as tales themselves; and though you cannot help but wish there was more ingenuity where it counts, you can't help but push those slights away when Scarpa puts sharks in the Colosseum.

  If you watched Normal People and wondered: 'Wow, I hope to see that cute Irish fella go toe to toe with a couple of baboons in the near future'; boy, do I have the film for you! Oscar Nominee Paul Mescal gets his long overdue blockbuster debut, and though his acting capabilities are woefully underutilised, Mescal proves himself a captivating leading man both in and out of the colosseum. Come for Paul Mescals huge biceps, stay for Denzel Washington’s conniving bisexual slave owner, who steals every scene with his terrifically campy performance. Erstwhile, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Spencer Treat Clark, and original star, Connie Nielsen, lead an utterly stacked supporting cast, revelling in their audacious storylines rife with conspiracies and murder.

Heads roll, blood spills, and John Mathieson's cinematography captures it all gloriously. The sunt crew and coordinators craft edge-of-your-seat sequences that utilise location and weaponry to delightfully devilish effect - no easy feat when you throw a rhinoceros in the ring.

 Before you enter this arena, it must be said: Gladiator II may not carry the strength and honour of its Best Picture predecessor, but it enters the Colosseum with a wry smile and confident stride, delivering a truly gargantuan blockbuster of epic proportions.

 So, are you not entertained? We sure are!

  3.5 / 5 thumbs up