EP 63: Gladiator II Review, Romans, Rhinos & Ridiculousness

This is episode 63 of The Truth Tank  On this episode, I will be reviewing possibly one of the most unnecessary sequels ever made, Gladiator II. It’s been 24 yrs since the release of Ridley Scott’s Oscar winning masterpiece Gladiator. I still remember the day I saw it in the cinema. Gladiator has stood the test of time and is still as relevant today as it was in 2000.  Will Gladiator II hold up as well? Or Is it just a Big Budget Action Film cashing in on the legacy of the first film? The sequel transports us back to the world of Ancient Rome in all of its spectacular gory glory. Modern advancements in CGI have brought Rome to life in a way we haven’t seen before; a grimy, decaying and lived in city as opposed to the gleaming idea of what we might picture Rome to look like. Much like the first film, Gladiator II blends practical sets and effects with the latest visual effects.  Gladiator II is big and bold, boosting a pretty epic cast to match including Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Jospeh Quinn and Fred Hechinger. It’s a film full of ridiculousness, Rhinos and more sub plots than you can poke a Gladius at. Ridley has upped the action in a big way this time around, Lucius played by Mescal is forced to fight as a Gladiator after his home is attacked by The Romans leading him on path to his past and ultimately his destiny. It is an action-packed thrill ride from start to finish filled with more action and political intrigue than Game Of Thrones.  We will be taking a deep dive into the world of Gladiator, starting with a look back at what made the first film so iconic and special. Then moving on to the review of the Gladiator II as wells the historical accuracy of the film, filling the Colosseum with water, sharks, Rhinos, newspapers, ruins and much more. Is it Thumbs up? Or Thumbs down?  Promos: Mikey On Mute https://open.spotify.com/show/2TdkgQuAhyuV5sv2vZx1FS?si=75ab1399e5bd4ba8 Brutal, Bizarre, And Boozy Podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/44Z9VDxjEVGpbPBkYzQorh?si=f7a11186643447dd Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thetruthtank/ https://www.facebook.com/ThetruthTank/ Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-tank/id1463256905 https://open.spotify.com/show/0P4Hcqlgc6kCG0bYyAS2Su https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrhX1ZqvZx_xM59bk-tRa6Q https://iheart.com/podcast/76110779 https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Truth-Tank-id5627421?country=us https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/791410e2-fa17-43e7-84db-6c81325f4203 References: https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/gladiator-ii-2-fact-fiction-sharks-colosseum-b1193555.html