Joey Magidson
Welcome back to my Home Movies! This week, we have Gladiator II entering the arena, alongside some less than stellar other offerings like Kraven the Hunter and Red One. So, today there’s not a ton of options, though a new Criterion Collection release is hitting shelves. What else might there be? Read on to find out…
Joey’s Top Pick
Gladiator II
Ridley Scott returning to the world of Gladiator for this long in the making sequel resulted not in a prestige period drama, but a silly action flick that works on those terms. For some, that was off-putting, but for those down with his ridiculousness, this was just a decent amount of fun. My Gladiator II review here began like so:
This may surprise some of you, considering how many people adore it, but I’m somewhat agnostic when it comes to Gladiator. I like the film well enough, but it’s a forgettable Best Picture winner to me. I say this to let you know that I approach Gladiator II as a movie purely on its own merits. The sequel of it all is somewhat inconsequential to me, besides a bit of a curiosity. So, when I say that this flick is very fun without really beyond too much beyond that, I’m still complimenting it. I’m simply not shouting from the rooftops like some others.
Gladiator II is no patch on the original, to be sure, but it’s still a good time at the movies. It’s almost camp, which shouldn’t surprise you considering what the filmmaker at the helm has been up to, though it may not be what Gladiator fans are expecting.
Also Available This Week
Akira (4K)
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Kraven the Hunter
Paddington 2 (4K)
Red One
Criterion Corner
The Wages of Fear
From The Criterion Collection: “In a squalid South American oil town, four desperate men sign on for a suicide mission to drive trucks loaded with nitroglycerin over a treacherous mountain route. As they ferry their explosive cargo to a faraway oil fire, each bump and jolt tests their courage, their friendship, and their nerves. The result is one of the greatest thrillers ever committed to celluloid, a white-knuckle ride from France’s legendary master of suspense Henri-Georges Clouzot.”
Stay tuned for more next week…
I feel like Gladiator II is destined for the same fate as The French Connection II and The Sting II. These sequels to Best Picture winners that just completely fade from memory and only exist as a “hey, did you know…?” movie trivia point.
I’m inclined to agree!