★★★★☆

Sequels are tricky beasts. A great film should be a complete story in itself, so how do you extend it? The sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic Gladiator faced an even trickier problem: most of the key characters were dead at the end of the first film. All of which meant that a lot of us approached Gladiator II with trepidation, especially given Scott’s somewhat patchy output of late.

Speaking of hit-and-miss records, it’s easy to forget, looking at his recent films, that for the six years between LA Confidential and Master And Commander, Russell Crowe was about the most exciting actor working. Gladiator caught him in the middle of that, offering a role for which he was perfect: strong yet soulful. These aren’t easy sandals to fill.

Paul Mescal, who takes the central role this time, lacks Crowe’s heft, in every sense. Not yet 30, he can’t offer the weariness that his predecessor conveyed so well. But there are other heavyweights in the cast to help out: Pedro Pascal is great as a general sick of conquest, and Denzel Washington has the time of his life as a scheming gladiator-wrangler. 

The sequel closely follows the pattern of the original, from the opening display of Roman army might through the escalating conflicts in the arena matching the intrigues at court. But it retains a capacity to surprise: I realised watching it how unusual it is in this type of film to think that you really don’t know what’s going to happen.

The excess of the Roman empire suits Scott’s style: he’s always been attracted to displays of style. There are set pieces of bloody violence that, if not as stunning as the first film, still impress. As last time, there’s a nagging sense that we may not be so very different from the Roman audiences we see enjoying lavish displays of gore. 

Is the script grandiose and implausible? Sure, but it was last time, too. Perhaps, as with Scott’s last film, Napoleon, the historians will wince. But there are no claims here to be writing history. And the cast are far more enjoyable company than Joaquin Phoenix’s Bonaparte.

In the end, there’s only one question that matters: if you liked Gladiator, you’ll like Gladiator II. And not every sequel passes that test.