The holiday movie season shifts into overdrive this week with two of the biggest productions of 2024, “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” — nicknamed ‘Glicked,” for all of you reliving the magic that was 2023’s “Barbieheimer” — hitting theaters.
Here’s a roundup of the Gladiator sequel and a few other new films and series.
“Gladiator II”: Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel to his 2000 sword-and-sandal Oscar phenom shows zero pretense over what it truly intends to be: 100-percent buttered popcorn entertainment. In other words, the story is preposterous but the scenery is a feast for the eyes. While never approaching the emotional impact of the Russell Crowe-led original epic, Scott brings the busy sequel (sharks and even an irritable rhino gets thrown in the mix) to gory, excessive CGI heights. And it works well enough, but only should you meet it on its own terms. This is not a bona-fide Oscar contender — except for the technical and costume categories — but does feature a deliciously duplicitous turn from Denzel Washington. (The Oscar winner goes for broke as the cunning power-mad slave-owner Macrinus.)
Screenwriter David Scarpa and Scott crib way too much from the first film, giving us another vengeance-fueled, buffed-up warrior in the dreamy form of Paul Mescal as Lucius (just take a gander of those biceps, will ya?). His character’s blood, not to mention blood lines, start boiling over after the death of his wife in an attack led by Roman general Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) on Lucius’ home turf. Lucius becomes a slave and is in the charge of crafty Macrinus, and soon becomes entertainment for the masses and two dangerously crackpot twin Roman emperors — Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). Seated next to them is Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, reprising her role from the first film), daughter of the long-dead emperor. She and Marcus are together.
True to Scott’s MO, everything is a rowdy spectacle and that’s what makes the crowd roar — in the Colosseum stands and likely in movie theaters. While the original score is indeed missed and fleetingly referenced, the new presence of Mescal is welcome. He’s able to tap into his fierce side as well as his emo side. Is he as much of a badass as Crowe? Hardly. But he is a different character and you’ll root for him even when vengeance clouds his judgment.
Where “Gladiator II” does stumble is in its weak final confrontation scene. It’s a letdown given what has come before. Foibles and fumbles and all, however, “Gladiator II” is still dumb fun. But it’s no match for the high standards set by the original. Details: 2½ stars; opens in theaters Nov. 22.
“Dune: Prophecy”: HBO continues to take established pop culture creations such as Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” and now Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” film series and expand upon them and better contextualize them. Such has been the case with “The Penguin” starring Colin Farrell. Ditto their latest series, based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s novel “Sisterhood of Dune.” By focusing on the mysterious and intriguing sect of rigorously trained female acolytes with supernatural, chess-game-like powers, show runners Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker dig into the blood-drenched backstory of two Bene Gesserit sisters – Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) and Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams) – and how their past dark find them facing a formidable foe in the presence of Desmond Hart (a menacing, wild-eyed Travis Fimmel) who has a hand in firing up tensions over an arranged marriage.
The slithery one all but drags Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong) and his family into a murderous game of power that leads to a reckoning with the sisterhood. Told in six hour-long episodes (only four were available for review), “Dune: Prophecy” builds upon its own world and does feature impossibly beautiful people in it (Josh Heuston as Constantine Corrino and Sarah-Sofie Boussnina as Princess Ynez Corrino). It also ratchets up the sex much more than the films do. It’s been compared to “Game of Thrones,” and while it’s an apt comparison, “Dune: Prophecy” exists in its own universe, and is a strategizing sci-fi headtrip with outstanding effects and production values. I’m certainly hooked. Details: 3½ stars; first episode dropped Nov. 17 with follow-up episodes dropping each Sunday after that.
“All We Imagine as Light”: Writer/director Payal Kapadia uses her immersive sensibilities to elegiac but very slow effect for an impressionistic portrait of Mumbai and the working-class women in it. Kapadia’s film isn’t concerned with dramatic arcs and surprising reveals, opting more to marinate, even stew, in its poetic, multi-hued visuals that are reflective of the mood swings of the city as well as its inhabitants. For that reason, Kapadia creates a gossamer-like view of the happening in the lives of – primarily – two women, roommates and co-workers at a hospital. Prabha (Chhaya Kadam) is the more senior of the two and wrestling with emotions about her out-of-the-country, uninterested husband while the younger, less-bound-by tradition Anu (Divya Prabha) carries on secretly with Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon), a Muslim. (Their lovemaking scene is not graphic but is highly erotic). More on the periphery is the character of Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), a hospital cook plagued with housing issues. “All We Imagine as Light” is a beautiful film told with a poet’s eye, but does require patience to get at its rewards. Details: 3 stars; opens Nov. 22 at the Cine Lounge Fremont 7, the Smith Rafael Film Center and the Roxie in S.F..
“Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.”: When it comes to faith-based entertainment, Angel Studios continues to do it the right way – realizing you need to tell a compelling story and remembering to keep all sermonizing for the pulpit. This fact-based epic doesn’t do anything extra fancy as a biopic and could have used some judicious editing, but it handily tells an astonishing story about going beyond oneself to stop the tyranny of a fascist such as Hilter. Jonas Dassler is remarkable portraying real-life pastor and Nazi critic Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Writer/director and producer Todd Komranicki takes a traditional path in following his life with Bonhoeffer’s childhood early in the 20th century and on to his time spent in New York and Harlem and his eventual resistance to Nazism in Germany, his part in a plot to kill the Fuhrer. He was a galvanizing presence and wrote well-respected articles and books while rallying churches to stand up in support of Jews. It’s a fascinating but sad story about sacrifice and staying true to your moral beliefs and faith, a potent message that we need to hear time and again. Details: 3 stars; in theaters Nov. 22.
Contact Randy Myers at soitsrandy@gmail.com.