A decent sequel to an Oscar winning hit.

Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” won five Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (Russell Crowe), Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Visual Effects. So, why not make a sequel called “Gladiator II?” It took years to spawn one, with Dreamworks selling the rights to the property to Paramount in 2006, the sequel announcement in 2018, and the filming taking place before and after the Hollywood labor disputes. So, now we have a “Gladiator II” in theaters.

I watched the original before I went to Rome back in 2012, and I rewatched it again just to warm up a bit for the sequel. And even though I wouldn’t call it Best Picture worthy, I still enjoyed Crowe and its action sequences. Yes, popcorn will be bought (and apparently the concession stands are how movies are usually profitable) and people may come and see how Scott is able to pull this one off. And while I prefer the first film over this sequel in terms of its story which is often confusing and underdeveloped, there’s still a lot to look forward to.

This one now focuses on Lucius (now played by Paul Mescal), who was revealed to be Maximus’ son by the trailer, and whose mother Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) sends him away to protect him from Rome’s corruption. He lives under the name Hanno, but is now forced to become a gladiator after his home has been invaded by the Roman army led by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal).

When his mother finally reunites with him after all these years, he tells her he’s not who she thinks he is. But she responds: “If you will not have your mother’s love, then take your father’s strength.”

While the first movie used real tigers in the arena, this sequel uses CGI baboons, rhinos, and (why not?) sharks. This is the part where we laugh at the effects and how far this sequel is willing to go to entertain us.

Rome now has twin emperors, who happen to be Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Jospeh Quinn), while the new villain happens to be the arms dealer and former slave Macrinus (Denzel Washington), who plans to take over Rome. So, Lucius has a lot of adversaries to deal with.

Like last year’s two hits “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” which were nicknamed “Barbenheimer,” “Gladiator II” will be facing off against the musical “Wicked” in what is known as “Glicked.” How much will these movies make? We’ll find out on Sunday or Monday. But for now, let’s get to my opinion on “Gladiator II.”

Like the original film, the look and feel of this sequel is fantastic, as it’s photographed once again by John Mathieson. How people get slaughtered, how Lucius reunites with his mother, and the arenas where the fights go down, all definitely worth your time. And it’s still rated R, so there will be blood. Pun intended.

The best performances in the film consist of Mescal, Pascal, and Washington. Mescal, who has proven himself to be a natural young actor, doesn’t take over Spencer Clark Treat’s role with pigheadedness, but strong ambitions. Pascal looks damn good in his outfit, but he also has a personality, too. And Washington makes a great villain, almost reminding me of how good he was in “The Tragedy of MacBeth.” Obviously, I prefer Russell Crowe’s performance in the original, but it’s still entertaining to see how these actors are able to continue the story.

I’m still confused by certain plot points (and Scott’s recent collaborator David Scarpa wrote the screenplay), and I don’t know the history of these characters, so I can’t compare or contrast anything. Again, it may be behind the original, but there’s still a lot to talk. Plausible or implausible. Your call.

This is probably you-the reader. “Live! Live! Live! Live! Live!”

And this is me: thumbs up.