Ridley Scott is one of our more interesting filmmakers working today. Like many of his era, he’s directed many films that have been hailed as all-time classics, like Alien, Blade Runner, and of course, the original Gladiator. However, over the past two decades, Scott’s track record has gotten much shakier with misfires such as The Counselor and Robin Hood. It really wasn’t until The Martian in 2015 that Scott felt like he was fully back in form. At least for a little bit.

Even so, a new film from Scott feels like an event, and Gladiator II can certainly be looked at as one. Still, it does have some pretty big shoes to fill, considering its predecessor is Scott’s only film to take home the Academy Award for Best Picture.

That said, how can you even make a sequel to Gladiator? The original movie ended with (spoiler alert for a 20+ year old movie) Russell Crowe’s Maximus dying. Unless the sequel wanted to go a more supernatural route (which actually almost happened thanks to singer Nick Cave), you obviously can’t bring Crowe back. Enter Paul Mescal, who steps into the empty sandals and plate armor left behind by Crowe, and takes on the role of Lucius, a character we previously saw as a young boy in the original.

Set 16 years after the events of the first film, Gladiator II begins with Lucius in hiding as a refugee in the Roman province of Numidia. The celebrated Roman general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades Lucius’ home, resulting in the death of his wife, and he is quickly enslaved and taken to the city of Rome.

Lucius is forced to fight for his survival, and his tactics catch the eye of Macrinus (Denzel Washington). This power-hungry former slave has risen up the social hierarchy and plots to overthrow Rome’s twin emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Lucius’ journey ultimately takes him to Coliseum where his estranged mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), is quick to realize who he truly is, and hopes to free him from his supposed death sentence.

Almost immediately, you can tell that Gladiator II is derivative of its original movie. It’s not shocking, especially when you look at many other recent legacy sequels. It does, however, make you think: Ridley Scott has been trying to make Gladiator II for years, is this really the story that spoke to him?

It’s not that this sequel is necessarily bad. Scott knows how to craft some incredibly entertaining and enthralling battle sequences. It’s easy to look past some of the dodgy CGI and digital photography, especially with how Scott shoots the action. The first Gladiator may be a beloved movie, but the hero died at the end, which adds a level of unpredictability to the sequel. We don’t really know who’s going to live or who’s going to die.

While the plot of Gladiator II isn’t as creative as you may expect it to be, Scott still has the film flow at an exceptionally brisk pace, as the two-and-a-half-hour runtime flies by. Not every storyline works, but at the same time, it never once feels like Scott just haphazardly stitched this film together. As you might expect, the production design is immaculate. You’ll have a hard time looking away from the screen, especially in the Coliseum setpieces. 

Mescal does a fine enough job as Lucius. He clearly has the physicality and the brutality that his character requires. It’s more that his storyline in the film is never as captivating as Maximus’. The real star of Gladiator II is Washington as Macrinus, as the movie surges to life whenever he pops up on screen. You can try to argue that Washington is basically just playing Detective Alonzo Harris (his Oscar-winning role in Training Day) in Ancient Rome, and you’d be right in that claim. What you can’t deny is that Washington excels at it. Not only does he bring menace to his character, but he’s also dangerously charismatic. We know he’s evil, but his smile is just so damn infectious.

Quinn and Hechinger also relish in their roles as the villainous twin emperors and dial up the film’s energy to an eleven. They’re goofy and over-the-top, but their roles stay true to the spirit of what Joaquin Phoenix did as Commodus. 

Gladiator II may not reach the heights of its predecessor, but that doesn’t make it a bad movie. There’s plenty of enjoyment to be had, from the action to Washington’s scene-stealing performance that could land him his third Oscar. Scott has talked about doing a third Gladiator movie, but upon seeing the second film, it feels right to end the story here.

Gladiator II is in theaters nationwide now.

OSCAR POTENTIAL:

• It’s hard to say whether or not this could get in for Best Picture. Wicked and Dune: Part Two seems like they’ve already filled in the slots for the big-budget crowd-pleasers.
• Denzel Washington is not only a shoo-in for a Best Supporting Actor nomination, but he also is competing with Kieran Culkin as the frontrunner for the prize.
• Production Design and Sound seem like safe bets. Considering Napoleon received a Visual Effects nomination last year, I don’t see why Gladiator II wouldn’t. Even if some of the animals in the film look a little too fake.