That’s great to know. I will be watching this Sat but not at IMAX.
1 Like
shun Suntec GV if u’re very concerned about sound quality.
the film made me shed a few streaks of tears not because of the poor sound, but as mentioned by brudder rock, the story!
Harry Gregson Williams score got seriously f?cked by the out of phase frontal soundstage channels that make the score lacklusture, battle weak, as well as blade clangs like 2 rusty swords hitting one another.
despite a disappointing audio experience in opening day, Ridley, u get my another support next week by going to another Theater! i wouldn’t mind to shed more tears to the story again!
1 Like
Wow looks like a good movie to catch
1 Like
When I saw the same director this is it. Enjoy bro! Cheers.
After reading rock’s glowing review, I was a bit disappointed. Watched in a IMAX cinema in middle east.
Action, sound is good. But this movie is not near the original Gladiator. That’s too high a bar for this movie to meet.
The twin tyrants were more like a couple of idiots. And sharks?! Really?!
It’s lacking the quality acting of Crowe and Phoenix.
3/5
1 Like
No spoiler bro 
original classic that’s the past 
not forgetting Washington 
err… ehh… erm…
how “close” should a sequel should be as a continual story to the initial chapter of a story?
a new generation 1-1 replica?
1 Like
It’s a sequel, so the story is OK.
It’s the acting - not the same level as Crowe and Phoenix. Also, the pacing seems a bit rushed.
oh… okay… fair on the assessment on the characters’ portrayal.
u’re not alone, as in other forum some other member feel the softness as well. and here’s my reply to that member…
作爲續集，人物"過橋"發展延申必須有些小"交代"。Lucilla嘅角色存在就係為佐"延申逝者精神"，而且對阿仔成長嘅過程扮演重要角色，不能缺少。
今次嘅復仇"純屬私人恩怨，意外發現"，與前集雖然有異曲同工磨合，但係依然有些小唔同。
前集係"一人對暴君"，續集就"邊個同我唔妥，我就冧邊個"。
my reply- being a sequel, key character “crossing the linking bridge” for continual and development of story needs to be present. Lucilla’s character is “considerably bringing the spirit and strength of the dead” necessary, in addition that how she plays a role on how her son grows into adult and realize what is truly going on in the background.
the REVENGE this time, is “a mano to mano personal issue, and accidental discovery”, in certain way it may seems to be familiar to be rhyme to what happened in the last episode, however there are still some little differences.
previously it was “a direct confrontation to the tyrannical ruler, this time round, who have issues with me, i put him down”.
電影特技效果已經嚟到瓶頸好耐。宜家唔係邊個做得好，而係邊度做得"平"。
假若荷里活電影製作公司考慮將電影特效外包，佢地會將此"工程"外包俾香港公司，泰國公司，或者印度公司咧？
延續前集"故事架構"，電影開幕必須有"震撼感"。雖然無"搶救雷恩大兵"咁震撼，先由大約十分鐘嘅主角介紹，再進入十幾分鐘戰斗畫面。。。今次算係好收斂嘍。至少今次由陸面戰鬥，轉去海陸作戰，可算係有小小提升啩？
my reply- special effects had reached it’s bottle neck a long time ago. it’s not who do the best effects, but rather who can make it “budget friendly”.
should Hollywood production companies have plans to sub-contract out special effects production, will they outsource to HongKong Production Company, Thai Production Company, or even Indian Production Company?
to follow to the “rhythm of story structure” of the last episode, the opening scene of the film needs to have some “impact”. although Ridley didn’t made “Saving Private Ryan style” impact-ful opening scene, the movie starts softly introduce the key character for about 10mins, then enters into roughly 10+mins of battle scenes… this time is considerably reserved and poetic per se. at least from in-land battle last time to sea-land battle this time, wouldn’t this time considered as a little upgrade?
my reply-
講到主角Paul Mescal，對我嚟講真係好陌生。
揾番佢舊戯。。。
https://www.blu-ray.com/Paul-Mescal/1597103/
。。。實在完全無留低任何印象，因爲我完全無睇過。不過今次選佢為主角，完全符合角色成爲武士嘅發展。
角色原本就係個皇族後裔嘛，應該係"軟"男嘅，番嚟為"硬"漢。。。少佐大家期待嘅英雄感，無麽問題呀！皇族後裔應該唔參與任何戰役嘛。。。
on the main lead Paul Mescal, he is totally… unfamiliar to me.
a look into his past filmography records…(check link)…there isn’t any impression of him, because i’ve seen none of his past works.
however the selection of him to play the main character, i say his play, fits the role well towards the development of a GLADIATOR.
isn’t the initial role an off-spring of a royalty? who should be “soft”, returns as “hard”… lacking in the sense of a “Heroic Soldier’s Feel”? there’s no problem with that, right? a royal family member wouldn’t be fighting in war, right?
Pedro Pascal，留低最深印象嘅祇有佢嘅喜感。。。
https://www.blu-ray.com/Pedro-Pascal/355983/
。。。能夠出力，今次算係"硬"小小喇。
Pedro Pascal, the strongest impression he had given me is only thru his comedic performance…(check link)…with a little push this time, this play, there’s a little “toughness” from him.
話到 丹佐。華盛頓 ，近十幾年都係俾佢嘅英雄印象深刻民心。好少人會諗起佢嘅"奸角"，除非大家會時不時揾番Training Day嚟回顧一下。
https://www.blu-ray.com/Denzel-Washington/65491/
與Ridley哥嘅合作，祇限於 Man On FIRE 與 American Gangster 兩部戯。
前者英雄感強，後者由狠轉弱。今次羅馬帝國背景就將佢角色提升至"奸"，復仇恨意不易顯露。。。直至電影終結嘅最後一粒鈡。可以收貨喇！
come to Denzel Washington, he played lots of goodman/heroic role in the past 10+~20+yrs that would easily make most folks forget about the negative/bad characters he had played before, unless one would dig out his past work TRAINING DAY to replay occasionally.
(check link)
this is Denzel’s 3rd collaboration ever since Man On Fire and American Gangster. the former have a very strong sense of heroism, while the latter transits from Ruthless Sense to Awake of Conscience. this time round in this background of Rome’s ridiculous history, it raises his “Unscrupulous Viciousness” to a new level, the sense of his “Vendetta” is not easily felt, until 45mins till 60mins before the end credits roll.
it’s a job well done!
Caught this yesterday and I have to say that the plot is actually ok but could have been so much better. Some of the characters were either not well-fleshed, mis-cast or downright unnecessary. Let’s talk about the character that failed to have a better story arc…Dezel’s character. I adored Denzel as an actor. However I “personally” felt that Denzel is wrongly cast in this movie. Perhaps we have seen him in so many “heroic” acts like Equaliser, man on fire etc. His mannerism, gait and the way he talked…I just can’t buy into his character to be the old cunning fox who harbors the idea to topple the twin emperors and claim the throne for himself. There is little to no flashback of any sort on Denzel’s character, Macrinus…he can be a morally complicated person deep down but what makes him “tick” and went down the path of no return when he was a “slave” and perhaps a gladiator at one point? If he hated the twin emperors so much, why did he choose the path that is no better than the evil twins? I still believe that Macrinus character can be better protrayed by other actor and the one that comes to my mind is Jeffrey Dean Morgan of TWD series.
If I am the one writing the script…it will be something like the following:
Macrinus can play a mentor-tuned-villan to Lucius. The story will delve into the territory of betrayal by a man who looked up as a mentor or even a fatherly figure, only to be betrayed at the end. This will ultimately make the revenge by Lucius so much sweeter and satisfying.
The theatrical ending is an anti-climax with 2 sides of the army flanking Macrinus and Lucius and clealy Macrinus will be at the losing end since the senate all scared of Macrinus due to his unhinged nature. Even if Lucius didn’t say anything to rally he soldiers, it is almost certain that Macrinus will perish in the end. The bare knuckle fight between Lucius and Macrinus is not convincing and ended too abrupt to leave an indelible impression. Waste imo.
The best part of the movie imo is when General Acasius played by Pedro Pascal was challenged by Lucius played by Paul Mescal at the Colosseum. A heart wrenching moment for Queen Lucilla played by Connie Nelson when she has to watch the duo battle out and knowing one will fall. Both she loved dearly.
There is really no need for the Twins imo. If you really want a tyrant to rule the Rome empire, pick just one charistmatic actor that can fit the role. There are so many good actors out there but why go for two whinning teens with a twisted mind. The problem for this is that both dimwits are so easy to “kill off” by any of the royal subjects. Why wait till Lucius and Acasius defiance that Macrinus decides to plot against the Twins? Makes no sense.
I will give this sequel a solid 3.5/5 stars. It started out promising but a bit of a letdown in the third act. I think Paul Mescal acting is fine though he is definitely no Russell Crowe.
1 Like
little we know, there was a period when Rome was Ruled by duo Emperors. there are few videos in YT explaining the existence of such period. so i guess that is essential to be added to tell the story of Roman history.
there are also videos on the historical existence of Macrinus and he was originated from Africa, but with different skin complexion. the hate was not on the twins, but the Roman empire in whole. there is a scene in the end half of the film that explains that hate that brewed in Macrinus heart and mind.
when theatrical screening ends, transiting into home based media, i believe there may be an Extended Cut like the predecessor that would give elaboration justice to Macrinus character development as well as others. how long would that be, no idea. to me, a roughly 30mins extension would be good to cover 2 characters, Acacius and Macrinus in a 3:7 ratio.
1 Like
Yes…based on Ridley Scott’s track record, I’m pretty sure there will be a Director’s Cut with more character exposition. I didn’t know you go into such great lengths to study the Roman empire history…LoL.
it was an accidental encounter last night that triggers my interest… “interesting leh! the existence of Dual Emperor System in history”.
Wolfgang Peterson’s theatrical version of Troy runs 163mins, Director’s Cut DVD/BD runs 196mins. that’s 30mins extension to elaborate on some details.
Ridley’s theatrical version of GLADIATOR 1 runs 155mins, Extended Cut runs 170mins. that’s 25mins extension to elaborate on some details, but as he claimed in the optical disc media introduction, “Extension Cut ain’t necessarily Director’s Cut”.
Ridley’s theatrical version of Kingdom of HEAVEN runs 144mins. when it was released into DVD, the ULTIMATE Director’s Cut runs 194mins… that’s a whopping 50mins extension!
so… by conservatively speculate that the extended cut when the film goes to home media, it’s conservatively logical @ 30mins. of course if more elaboration on the opening battle… 50mins would be better.
1 Like
it’s not easy to do an epic story telling of historical event.
Oliver Stone’s ALEXANDER have to get 3 revisions until the final one we get today…
…a pity, that i didn’t have a chance to lay my hands on the 214mins longest version in DVD release.
LIVE: Gladiator II LA Movie Premiere with Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal & More!
…we’ll probably have to wait till 2nd half next year for the announcement of Extended Cut.
1 Like