Ridley Scott's Gladiator II, a 149-minute military action film, is now on Netflix. The movie follows Lucius, who fights against the twin emperors Geta and Caracalla, rulers of Rome sixteen years after the death of Marcus Aurelius. Their reign is described as brutal and corrupt, spreading wickedness across the city. Lucius, after losing his wife and home to the regime, is taken hostage and forced to survive a series of ruthless challenges.
The film features an ensemble cast including Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Diora Baird, and Derek Jacobi. It re-enters the world of ancient Rome with high-octane action sequences and dramatic tension. Viewers are left to discover whether Lucius survives, saves his people, or brings down the empire. The movie is positioned as a worthy follow-up for fans of the original Gladiator.
Another Netflix addition, Apex, a 95-minute action thriller directed by Baltasar Kormákur, stars Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana. It follows Sasha, who returns to an Australian mountain five months after her partner's death in a storm-related fall. What begins as a therapeutic trip turns into a fight for survival when a mysterious man begins hunting her.
Crescent City, a 102-minute crime thriller directed by R.J. Colton, is also newly available. Set in "Little Rock," it centers on Detective Brain, who becomes a suspect in a rising series of unsolved murders. Despite being framed, he claims innocence as his troubled past resurfaces. The film stars Terrence Howard, Esi Morales, Nicky Whelan, Alec Baldwin, and others.
Ridley Scott returns to a world he first dramatized decades ago, yet builds it around emperors whose cruelty feels exaggerated rather than examined. The film hinges on Lucius surviving trauma to confront power, but offers no insight into how such brutality persists. For viewers drawn to spectacle, the action delivers, but the story adds little to the legacy of the original.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
