Ridley Scott has still got it. He did an amazing job tying the sequel into the original Gladiator movie. I truly was hoping that this was going to be great and it did not disappoint.

In the original Gladiator film Maximus came from greatness, whereas Paul Mescal character becomes greatness as the film evolves. There are some impressive scenes throughout the well paced runtime and will more than likely be a contender at the Oscars next year in several categories. Denzel’s character will see to that.

The battles are massive, loud and amazing to watch. I saw it in the IMAX theater - well worth the effort/cost. There were many real sets that looked amazing, giving you a perspective that CGI can't in every instance. Don’t despair, CGI was definitely used during the fight scenes.

I can’t emphasize enough that the tying into the original was very appealing. It will definitely bring back to your minds eye the continuation of the original film. For me this was the best time I had at a movie theater this year.

p.s. If you hadn’t seen the original - make sure you do before seeing this version or you will be a lost ball in tall weeds!

Rotten Tomatoes: Critics: 72% / Audience: 84%
IMDB: 7.0/10
Stars: Connie Nielsen - Paul Mescal - Denzel Washington - Pedro Pascal