Gladiator II (2024) - Scott delivers another rousing spectacle

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Six central characters and a rhinoceros-involved fight scene are teased on this flashy poster for Ridley Scott's Gladiator II

Roman general Acacius overtakes Numibia in North Africa and enslaves the warrior Hanno. Swearing vengeance, Hanno becomes a gladiator but comes to more realizations while fighting for his survival.

 

Gladiator II is written by David Scarpa (The Last Castle (2001)), with Peter Craig (12 Strong (2008)), and co-produced and directed by English master filmmaker Ridley Scott (The Duellists (1977)), whose 29th feature it is. It is the sequel to Scott's triumphant masterpiece, Gladiator (2000). 

Paul Mescal (The Lost Daughter (2021)) smiles too much and is somehow too daintily attractive as his character, but he's in a well-oiled, mammoth-sized machine here that is a highly enjoyable throw-back to the macho universe of ancient Rome. Derek Jacobi (The Sandman (2022, TV-series)) and Connie Nielsen (Nobody (2021)) of the original return, SPOILER and the regal Nielsen musters up most of the film's emotional heft in scenes with her returned son Hanno/Lucius. The weight of these scenes is limited, but the film has a great ace in Hanno's gladiator mentor Macrinus, played with delicious verve by Denzel Washington (The Equalizer (2014)), the Marlon Brando of our age. SPOILER Macrinus is by far the most interesting character in the film, a sly, chameleonic figure who turns out to be an unruly, self-serving master manipulator. And Washington gets a fantastic death scene in the brutal Gladiator II.

There's more action than in the original, and Scott throws in monstrous baboons, a rhino and sharks in the Colosseum, effectively making sure that everyone is aware that this is a fictional adventure with only very dim links to actual history. Great costumes distinguish the film, which also revolves around the story of the volatile, easily influenced twin emperors Geta and Caracalla.

Scott continues his recent stride with a ramming hammer of a sword and sandals spectacle, not without blemishes, and not as impacting as the original by a longshot but a damn good time at the multiplex it sure is.

 

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Gladiator (2000) - Experience the grandeur of the Roman Empire in Scott's dramatic masterpiece

G.I. Jane (1997) or, The Amazing Seal Woman! 

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Alien (1979) or, Space Eggs Are Bad News

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 250 mil. $

Box office: 368.5 mil. $ and counting

= Too early to say

[Gladiator II premiered 18 October (Los Angeles) and runs 148 minutes. Sequel ideas and scripts were in the works shortly after the first film's premiere in 2000, for many years revolving around a returning star Russell Crowe either brought back to life or in a fantasy/religious story in purgatory. Shooting took place from May - July 2023 and from December 2023 - January 2024, interrupted involuntarily by the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes, with reshoots in June 2024, in Malta, Morocco and in England, including in London. Scott has stated that he rented back his Kingdom of Heaven (2005) sets from the Moroccan government, which he had sold to them for 10$ after wrapping that film since dismantling them would cost more. The film reportedly received the largest tax rebate in EU history of 46.6 mil. € from the Maltese state, bringing its monstrous 310 mil. $ cost down to 250 mil. $. The film opened #2, behind fellow new release Wicked, to a 55 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it remains in the top 5. The mega-budgeted film still have a very long way before it may reach black numbers. It is nominated for 2 Golden Globes and has won a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Scott has talked of a number 3 but is first turning to other projects. He is set to return with Bee Gees movie You Should Be Dancing. Mescal returns in The History of Sound (2025); Washington in High and Low. Gladiator II is certified fresh at 72 % at Rotten Tomatoes with a 6.60/10 average rating.]

What do you think of Gladiator II?

Inside Man (2006) - Lee's delicious heist thriller

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Text and small, slim stills at slanted angles upon a white background make up this poster for Spike Lee's Inside Man

An elaborate bank heist takes place in New York by a mysterious team of robbers, who take the staff hostage, while a police negotiator tries to get the criminals out without any bloodshed, and the bank's founder hires a fixer to make sure his vault's secrets are not stolen.

Inside Man is written by Russell Gewirtz (Blind Justice (2005)) and directed by Georgian master filmmaker Spike Lee (Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads (1983)), whose 20th feature it is.

It it an intelligent and very well carried out thriller and an unusual Lee 'joint': He did not participate in its writing, as he is wont to do, and it is a more 'straight' genre picture than most of his films. But Inside Man still has the Lee touch: It is rife with buddy mood, and Denzel Washington (The Hurricane (1999)) is terrific as the 'small-time New-Yorker' who saves the day. 

The story is captivating, and the performances are way above the standard in most thrillers, most prominently Washington, but Jodie Foster (The Brave One (2007)) is also good as the frightening fixer, and so is Christopher Plummer (Starcrash (1978)) as the conscience-plagued bank founder. There's a keen double-meaning to the movie's title.

 

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Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 45 mil. $
Box office: 186 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.13 times its cost)

[Inside Man was released 16 March (Netherlands) and runs 129 minutes. Shooting took place from June - August 2005 in New York. The film opened #1 to a 28.9 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#2-#4), grossing 88.5 mil. $ (47.6 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 14.4 mil. $ (7.7 %) and France with 9.3 mil. $ (5 %). The film won an AFI award, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 2.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. The film additionally made an estimated 38.6 mil. $ on home video sales in North America alone. Lee returned with 4 TV and short projects prior to his theatrical return Miracle at St. Anna (2008). Washington returned in Deja Vu (2006); Clive Owen (Killer in Red (2017, short)) in Children of Men (2006); and Foster in The Brave One (2007). Inside Man is certified fresh at 86 % with a 7.30/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Inside Man?

The Hurricane (1999) - Terrific performances in Jewison's long racism drama

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An intense still of a knuckle-wielding star Denzel Washington captures the viewer's attention on this classy poster for Norman Jewison's The Hurricane

Rubin 'The Hurricane' Carter is a boxing champ, when his life in 1966 is put on pause, because he is convicted of a double homicide, which he did not commit.

 

The Hurricane is written by Armyan Bernstein (Windy City (1984)) and Dan Gordon (Rambo: Last Blood (2019)), based on Rubin Carter's autobiography The Sixteenth Round (1974) and Sam Chaiton and Terry Swinton's Lazarus and the Hurricane (1991), and directed by great Canadian filmmaker Norman Jewison (40 Pounds of Trouble (1962)).

A miscarriage of justice in a racist system is treated with refinement here and a framing story of a young black man, who gives an aged version of Carter back his optimism through the iron bars. This lifts what would otherwise have been something of a long ordeal to sit through.

Denzel Washington (Fallen (1998)) is outstanding; Rod Steiger (Duck, You Sucker! (1971)) is fitting, and excellent, as the judge who finally brings justice forth. The Hurricane is good but feels a bit like sitting through a long triple hour home study class. 

 

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 50 mil. $

Box office: 73.9 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.47 times its cost)

[The Hurricane premiered 17 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 146 minutes. Washington was paid 10 mil. $ for his performance, which reportedly required that he did boxing training for a year prior to production. Shooting took place from November 1998 - February 1999 in New Jersey and Toronto, Ontario. The film opened #21 to a 384k $ first weekend in 11 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #2, behind new release Scream 3, and spent a total of 5 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#3-#3-#2-#5), grossing 50.6 mil. $ (68.5 % of the total gross). The film was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar, lost to Kevin Spacey in American Beauty. It won 1/3 Golden Globe nominations, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Jewison returned with The 20th Century: Funny Is Money (1999, TV movie), Dinner with Friends (2001, TV movie) and theatrically with The Statement (2003). Washington returned in Remember the Titans (2000). The Hurricane is certified fresh at 82 % with a 6.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Hurricane? 

The Pelican Brief (1993) - Everything works in phenomenal Pakula thriller

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A great pitch tagline (if you can make it out) and an intense close-up of co-star Julia Roberts make up most of this murky poster for Alan J. Pakula's The Pelican Brief

An ambitious, smart law student writes a sensational brief on the possible perpetrators of a double assassination of two Supreme Court Justices, - which makes her a hunted target.

 

The Pelican Brief is written, co-produced and directed by New-Yorker master filmmaker Alan J. Pakula (The Sterile Cuckoo (1969)), whose 15th feature it was. It is an adaptation of the same-titled 1992 novel by John Grisham (The Street Lawyer (1998)).

Pakula makes this murky political thriller come alive as an eminent film. James Horner (Titanic (1997)) has written a classical suspense score across it, and Grisham's plot is not more far-fetched than what we are willing to swallow to stay in this 'ride', which has exciting locations in Washington DC and New Orleans.

The cast is super, led by arguably the greatest actors of their generation, Denzel Washington (2 Guns (2013)) and Julia Roberts (Closer (2004)), - SPOILER who may not get each other here. On the other hand the ending is a salute to Roberts and her splendid student character here, and it is right on.

John Lithgow (The Crown (2016-19)) is also worth highlighting in the part of an editor here. At more than one point, the film succeeds with good old-fashioned Hitchcockian suspense, and coupled with the progressive lead casting, it makes The Pelican Brief a chief work in the modern thriller genre.

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 45 mil. $

Box office: 195.2 mil. $ 

= Big hit (returned 4.33 times the cost)

[The Pelican Brief premiered 17 September (Canada) and runs 141 minutes. Roberts was paid 8 mil. $ for her performance in the film. Shooting took place from May - September 1993 in Washington DC and in New Orleans, Louisiana. The film opened #1 to a 16.8 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another weekend at #1 and then another 3 in the top 5 (#2-#2-#5), grossing 100.7 mil. $ (51.6 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. Pakula returned with The Devil's Own (1997). Roberts returned in I Love Trouble (1994); Washington in Philadelphia (1993). The Pelican Brief is rotten at 54 % with a 5.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Pelican Brief?

The Magnificent Seven (2016) - Fuqua makes a noisy party trick out of the western

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A golden seven across a grey sky with the seven actors in heavy get-up at the bottom makes up this macho poster for Antoine Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven

Seven men gather to help the intimidated citizens of small frontier town Rose Creek fight and prevail over the evil tyrant industrialist Bartholomew Bogue.

 

The Magnificent Seven is written by Nic Pizzolatto (The Killing (2011, TV-series)) and Richard Wenk (Vamp (1986)) and directed by Pennsylvanian master filmmaker Antoine Fuqua (Bait (2000)). It is a remake of the same-titled 1960 hit western by John Sturges, which was in turn based on Seven Samurai (1954) by Akira Kurosawa.

Modernly cast with a diverse group of actors, Fuqua pulls the trigger in the West with mighty explosions, CGI, shoot-outs upon shoot-outs and cocky stars in thinly sketched parts. It rumbles and bumbles, - but why are we supposed to care?

The Magnificent Seven doesn't look or smell like the West we know from the genre's best pictures. It feels phony, unnecessary, long and dreary.

 

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Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 90 mil. - 107 mil. $ (different reports)

Box office: 162.3 mil. $

= Big flop (returned 1.51 - 1.80 times its cost)

[The Magnificent Seven premiered 8 September (Toronto International Film Festival) and runs 133 minutes. Several other stars and director John Lee Hancock had been rumored to head the remake before Fuqua was hired and assembled his cast. Shooting took place from May - August 2015 in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Louisiana. The film features the last score of great composer James Horner, who passed away in 2015 with his friend and collaborator finishing his work. The film opened #1 to a 34.7 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it stayed in the top 5 for another 3 weekends (#3-#4-#4) and grossed 93.4 mil. $ (57.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 7.9 mil. $ (4.9 %) and South Korea with 6.8 mil. $ (4.2 %). Fuqua returned with Ice (2016, TV-series), The Receipt: The Gift (2017, short) and theatrically with The Equalizer 2 (2018). Denzel Washington (The Siege (1998)) returned in Fences (2016); Chris Pratt (10 Years (2011)) in Passengers (2016). The Magnificent Seven is fresh at 64 % with a 6.00/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Magnificent Seven? 

He Got Game (1998) - Lee's basketball classic

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+ Best Huge Flop Movie of the Year + Best Sports Drama of the Year

 

Star Denzel Washington with a big afro and a praying gesture makes up most of this poster for Spike Lee's He Got Game

Jesus Shuttlesworth may be America's best high school basketball player, and as such he is heavily courted by colleges with deep pockets. Meanwhile his convict father is given a chance for freedom if he can convince his son to choose one particular college...

 

He Got Game is written and directed by Georgian master filmmaker Spike Lee (Joe's Bed-Stuy Barber Shop: We Cut Heads (1983)).

Denzel Washington (Ricochet (1991)) and young actual NBA player Ray Allen (Harvard Man (2001)) are outstanding as father and son in this film, which is first and foremost a riveting high-stakes drama, and secondly a fine basketball-saluting sports picture. Lee knows his effects, and he uses them as a master here:

Strong dramatic scenes - scored with classical music, which heightens their importance, - montages with great cultural and social insight, and a strong knack for strong images and the traps of youth. Rosario Dawson (Iron Fist (2017, TV-series)), Jim Brown (Fingers (1978)) and especially Milla Jovovich (Ultraviolet (2006)) are strong in supporting parts. Public Enemy's songs in the film are very well-made, especially the title track. He Got Game is a highly commendable film.

 

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Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 25 mil. $

Box office: 22.4 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.89 times its cost)

[He Got Game premiered 25 April (New York) and runs 136 minutes. Shooting took place from July - September 1997 in North Carolina, Virginia, Chicago, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and in Los Angeles, California. The film opened #1 to a 7.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent another 2 weekends in the top 5 (#3-#5), grossing 21.5 mil. $ (96 % of the total gross). The film's foreign gross numbers are not made public: The film was financed by Disney, who sold off the foreign rights, and the international gross stands at a tiny 844k $, which is still credible since US sports films, basketball and black films usually underperform abroad. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Lee returned with John Leguizamo: Freak (1998, TV special) and theatrically with Summer of Sam (1999). Washington returned in The Siege (1998). He Got Game is certified fresh at 81 % with a 6.90/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of He Got Game?