The Dream of Rome

Here’s a funny question: Who is Gladiator II about? The obvious answer is Lucius Verus Aurelius (Paul Mescal), the prodigal child of Maximus (Russell Crowe, only present in archival footage) and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, reprising her role). The film sets Lucius on a journey that echoes Maximus’s story in the first movie: from a warrior adopted by the people of a North African province to a gladiatorial combatant turned instrument of liberation. Yet that doesn’t quite feel true once you’ve watched the film—or rather, once you’ve watched the film, that perspective feels fairly dissatisfying.