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Review: “Gladiator II” with Denzel Washington returns to the arena

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Denzel Washington,

Rome is teetering on the edge “Gladiator II” by Ridley Scott. It is alleged that its collapse is inevitable. The dream it once symbolized is dead. The once lofty ideals of the Roman Empire have deteriorated in a venal land now ruled by a pale-faced emperor.

On the throne is Geta (Joseph Quinn), who sits next to his weeping brother Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). The heart of this Rome is, in fact, the Colosseum, where crowds cheer on gladiators who fight and die. The timeless Scott feels especially at home there. The arena, stuffed with spectacle and violence, replaces the director’s own vision of the big screen: go big or go home.

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This dichotomy – a failed society and its insatiable need for entertainment – provides a clever and unflattering backdrop to the “Gladiator” movies. The second part, which takes place 20 years after the events of the first film, introduces a brand new fighter to the Colosseum – a mysterious outsider named Lucius Verus, played by Paul Mescal. And to answer the inevitable query: yes. Yes, I had quite an excellent time.

“Gladiator II” just isn’t as prestigious a movie as his first film, the 2001 Best Picture winner. Rather, it’s a panoramic sword-and-sandal epic that values ​​the need for entertainment above all else. No one in Gladiator II understands this higher than Denzel Washington. His performance as Machiavellian power broker Macrinus is a pleasant mixture of robes and smiles – so compellingly over-the-top that it almost reaches Al Pacino’s ’90s standards.

Inside Rome, there are scattered interests intent on overthrowing it, including Marcus Acacius, a decorated general who has just returned from a successful campaign to capture Numidia in northwest Africa. (This siege provides a panoramic opening to the film, with the armada racing at almost NASCAR speeds towards the walled city, with towers on the bow of the boats from which you’ll be able to scale the parapets.)

Acacius is a loyal Roman, but when he learns that the emperors are only out for the blood of more territory and war, he and his wife Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) begin a plot to overthrow their brothers.

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In a movie where everyone keeps a secret, few stay hidden for long. The most significant of them is Lucius Verus, a warrior from Numidia who was taken prisoner and compelled to fight as a gladiator. He is the son of Lucilla and Maximus (Crowe from “Gladiator”). After the events of this film, Lucilla sent him, the heir to the empire, to Numidia to grow up outside the empire’s power struggles.

Mescal, an incredible Irish actor “After Sunset” AND “All of Us Strangers” for the first time, it easily enters the arena of blockbusters. “This is interesting,” says Makrinus, taking a look at him for the first time. Lucius Mescala is vengeful – the Roman army kills his warrior wife at the Battle of Numidia. “Rage pours out of you like milk,” says Macrinus admiringly. The glint of mischief in Mescal’s eyes gives Lucius a little bit more character than the average gladiator out for revenge.

We watch as Lucius cleverly survives arena after arena. Meanwhile, Macrinus manipulates him to divert public attention away from the emperor. It’s a wealthy, if somewhat cartoonish, tapestry of palace intrigue for which Macrinus skillfully pulls all the strings.

But the truth is, none of the machinations of power are as fascinating as the increasingly carnival-like scenes in the Colosseum. During the gladiators’ first trip there, they’re greeted by man-eating monkeys. Then it is a rider on top of an enormous charging rhinoceros. Then the piece de resistance: a flooded Colosseum stuffed with sharks. There are even small false islands covered with palm trees.

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Now “Gladiator II” may not live up to it many inquiries from historians. (Some issues were also raised in connection with Scott’s recent historical epic, “Napoleon,” which was also written by David Scarpa). But this is not a movie built for accuracy. It’s designed to take just a few bits of history and inflate them into the treat and delights of watching Washington’s Macrinus flail around with a head recently free of his body.

Yes, heads are turning for Scott’s Gladiator sequel. Macrinus manages to throw Rome right into a frenzy. In fact, he does it so easily and cunningly that when things start to go improper for him, the air leaves “Gladiator II.” You cannot quite consider his recklessness after he tightened the screws so patiently and artfully.

Nevertheless, two possible successors emerge – Lucius, who has the birthright to the throne, and Macrinus, who comes into its reach solely through his own wit. Is it any wonder I used to be rooting for Macrinus the entire time? How could you not, with Washington chewing up such landscapes and making impassioned (and relatively accurate) statements like, “That, my friend, is politics!”

“Gladiator II” – premiere of Paramount Pictures. is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong, bloody violence.” Duration: 148 minutes. Three stars out of 4.

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This article was originally published on : thegrio.com

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Denzel Washington celebrated after a tense meeting on the red carpet: “It was a great evening”

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Denzel Washington’s “Great Evening” in Cannes, which included an unexpected honor and standing ovation, began with a heated exchange on a red carpet.

On Monday, May 19, on the red carpet for the premiere of the movie Neo-Niir from Spike Lee “Highest 2 lowest”, through which Washington and $ AP Rocky perform, Washington talked to Lee when a member of paparazzi caught his arm.

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Based on Material from this incident When making rounds on the web, the 70-year-old actor turns and warns the man to “stop”. When Washington turned to return to posing along with his Rocky star, the man did it again. This time Washington’s answer is rather more intense.

However, despite the hot exchange, Washington’s representative said People magazine“It was a great evening.”

A moment later, proving how happiness can change in ten centuries, Washington received the unexpected honorary Palme d’Or, the festival’s highest honor and standing ovation during acceptance.

“It’s a total surprise for me, so I’m a bit emotional, but I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart” Washington said. “It was a great opportunity to work again with my brother – brother from another mother, Spike.”

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He continued: “You know, we are simply blessed beyond measure, I am blessed beyond measure, until my heart thank everyone. Thank you.”

Before the premiere of the red carpet, Washington joined Rocky and Lee to take a photo Since then, this has turn into popular due to the contagious show of joy. Three men, with wide smiles and coordinating white and black bands-in a white suit competing with Ton Montana, Washington in a black T-shirt and dark rinsing, and Lee in a white shirt and creamy pants-a series of funny shots. In a few shots, Rocky is inside older men, and in other shots all three are having fun with silly poses and faces.

“The highest 2 lowest”, reinterpretation of the Japanese thriller of the crime Akira Kurosawa from 1963 “High and low”, set in modern New York, means the fifth cooperation of Washington and Lee. The film has a buzzing forged, including Rocky, Jeffrey Wright, Wendell Pierce, Ice Spice of their film debut and more. “The highest 2 lowest” is to be released in cinemas on August 22 and will probably be available for streaming on Apple TV+ from September 5.

With stopping at Denzel, Spike will present the

(Tagstotransate) Cannes Film Festival (T) Denzel Washington (T) Spike Lee (T) ASAP ROCKY

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With stopping at Denzel, Spike will present the “highest 2 lowest” in Cannes

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Denzel Washington he noted a visit to the air trumpet to Film Festival in Cannes Between Broadway performances for the premiere of the “top 2 lowest” Spike Lee on Monday.

Cannes overturned a few of the plans to accommodate Speedy France Trip in Washington, which took place his lonely day while performing “Othello” in New York. “The highest 2 lowest” premiered on Monday evening in Cannes. And although the festival’s photographic phones often occur the next day, Cannes hosted one for the “highest 2 lowest” earlier Monday.

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Washington, jokingly posing to Lee and the star A $ AP RockyHe showed no signs of the jet after arriving on Monday. Washington is predicted back to New York immediately after the show.

The indisputable fact that Washington would find a way to travel was some extent stuck for Cannes. When the festival was the first announced his composition last month“The highest 2 lowest” has not been announced. However, inside a number of hours Lee himself announced that the film was heading to Cannes. Festival representatives said they were waiting for confirmation that Washington was attending a walk on the red carpet.

“The highest 2 lowest”, remake of the film Akira Kurosawa from 1963 “High and low”, will be released in cinemas by A24 on August 22 before the broadcast on Apple TV+ 5 September.

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The trailer of the upcoming film by Tythera Perry “Straw” is available, and his “Set It Off” meets “John Q” Vibes

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The point is not that Tyler Perry cannot stop, because he won’t stop.

Leaving the very busy 2024, wherein he released three full-length films-“Mea Culpa”, “Divorce in black” and highly recognized “The Six Triple Eight” together with all his television programs and the introduction of a brand new series, corresponding to “Beauty in Black”-Mogul Mogul showed no signs of slowing down in 2025.

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The “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity” psychological thriller appeared on Amazon Prime Video, and in June he drops “Straw” on Netflix. The trailer of “Straw” has recently been released and looks downs.

“Straw” is Taraji P. Henson as Janyah, a single mother fortunately, who is thrown out of her apartment, which reaches the last straw and decides to take matters into her hands. The configuration resembles the character of Thandiwe Newton in “Good Deeds”, which is able to win an identical fate, except that she met Wesley Deeds (Tyler Perry), who modified happiness and life with his generosity.

Based on the trailer of “Słomka”, it almost appears to be a version of the “Good Deeds” of the parallel universe wherein no wealthy businessman with the heart of gold appears. In “Słomych” Janyah reached a breakthrough.

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Basically – and simply in response to the trailer – it appears that evidently “good deeds” are met “setting IT”, he meets the situation “John Q” … which implies that on June 6 I’ll prepare my popcorn.

Taraji P. Henson is not alien to work with Perry; She appeared in three of his other movies: “The Family That Proys” and “I can do all in myself” (two of his highest rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes), in addition to “Ballyhoo’d” Acrimony “(one of his lowest movies rated on the same platform). The film also includes Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Glynn Turman, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Ashley Versher and Mike Merrill.

“Straw” debuts at Netflix on June 6.

Taraji P. Henson played in the upcoming thriller Tyler Perry
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