Delivering repackaged goods with a soldierly sense of duty, Gladiator II could stand to go a little more off-kilter.

Gladiator II is ultimately a bigger, more bombastic and thematically messier movie than Gladiator, but it thrives on excellent performances and Scott’s knack for capturing ferocious fight sequences.

For all its faults, Gladiator II is an extraordinary film, the kind that demands to be seen in theaters.

Fans of the original will find enough here to enjoy, but there’s also plenty to nitpick at. I had fun. And speaking of picking nits: all hail Dondas, the monkey emperor of Rome!