Denzel Washington's 10 Best Moments In Gladiator 2

Denzel Washington delivers a standout performance as Macrinus in Gladiator 2 and is responsible for many of the best moments in the sequel. Since it was first announced that Washington had joined Gladiator 2‘s cast, there was tremendous excitement about the Academy Award-winning actor playing an important role in the Ridley Scott-directed movie. Initially, Macrinus seemed to be a replacement for Oliver Reed’s Proximo in the same way that Lucius Verus (Paul Mescal) was a replacement for Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe).

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While there are similarities between Macrinus and Proximo as two former slaves who own gladiators and have their own machinations, there is much more to Macrinus and his story. Macrinus is the overarching antagonist of the movie that Lucius must defeat during Gladiator 2‘s ending. Washington’s scene-stealing performance in Gladiator II was recognized by the Golden Globe Awards, with Washington receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.

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10

Macrinus Tries To Figure Out If Hanno Is Lucius

This Could Threaten Macrinus’ Schemes

After meeting with Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Macrinus tries to determine if the rising gladiator known as Hanno could be Lucius Verus. For years, Macrinus has been working on his intricate plan to become the ruler of Rome. Macrinus has to confront that if Hanno is Lucius, this throws a major wrench in his plans. He spends the scene talking with an ally and gathering all the details about what happened to Lucilla’s son after the events of Gladiator‘s ending.

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For much of Gladiator 2, Macrinus puts on a front as a gracious and generous figure, especially when interacting with Lucilla and Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Emperor Caracalla (Fred Hechinger). This scene offers a valuable glimpse into a more anxious and conniving Macrinus, a juxtaposition from the facade he displays throughout a great deal of the movie. While this makes the scene one of Macrinus’ best moments, it is not the most compelling, as it largely rehashes details the audience already knows.

9

Macrinus Plays Nice While Meeting With Lucilla

He Reveals A Past Connection To Lucilla And Her Father

Macrinus’ facade is on full display when he accepts Lucilla’s invitation to meet with her at her home. The scene underscores why Macrinus was able to rise so quickly through the ranks of Roman politics through his charm and his ability to say the right things in the right way. Part of what makes the scene work so well is how Macrinus and Lucilla both dance on eggshells, saying what is polite and expected, while their true inquiries and motivations lie just beneath the surface of their words.

Meaningful insight is provided into Macrinus’ past as he talks about having served Lucilla’s father, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), and having met her long ago. Washington smiles throughout the scene, but the smile is all for show, especially once the full story of Macrinus’ connection to Marcus Aurelius is revealed later in the movie. Nielsen and Washington perform the scene well. However, it is not quite as memorable as some of Macrinus’ more defining moments.

8

Macrinus Promises Lucius The Head Of General Acacius

This Works Well For Macrinus

When Macrinus meets with Lucius, he asks Lucius whose head he can deliver that will satisfy Lucius’ rage. Lucius’ first response is the entire Roman army. This amuses Macrinus, who admits that it is too much, leading Lucius to amend his answer to General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal). This answer immediately changes the scene, as Macrinus’ amusement transforms into curiosity and the opportunism that has helped him amass his power and connections.

General Acacius led the Roman army during the invasion of Lucius’ home, Numidia, during which Lucius’ wife, Arishat, was killed.

General Acacius is an obstacle standing in the way of Macrinus’ ascension to the throne. Lucius’ desire for Acacius’ head is a win-win for Macrinus, as he can eliminate Acacius and form a temporary alliance with Lucius, both of which serve Macrinus’ endgame. Macrinus promises to deliver Acacius’ head as long as Lucius serves him faithfully. The scene does an effective job of temporarily putting Lucius and Macrinus on the same page, even though their partnership is doomed to fail. The only mark against the scene is that its impact is undermined by being overplayed in the marketing.

7

Macrinus Kills Emperor Geta

It Is A Bloody Kill

Macrinus plays the long game with Emperors Geta and Caracalla and further gains their trust after revealing Acacius and Lucilla’s plot against them. He also stokes the brothers’ paranoia of each other and wants Geta, the one with more agency, to be removed from the throne entirely. Macrinus follows through on this as Geta pleads with Macrinus to help him, only for Macrinus to take a knife and slash Geta’s throat open multiple times.

Up to this point in Gladiator 2, Macrinus has been deeply manipulative, but this scene goes beyond manipulation, and showcases the depth of his ruthlessness. It is brutal and graphic, with Washington selling the violence and satisfaction of the moment after all the years Macrinus has spent building to this moment. As excellent as the scene is, it is upstaged by another murder Macrinus commits later in the story, and one that is more devastating.

6

Macrinus Dies At Lucius’ Hands

The Former Gladiator Cannot Defeat The New Gladiator

All of Gladiator 2 builds to a showdown between Lucius and Macrinus, with the winner set to reshape Rome’s future. At this point, Macrinus has killed everyone who stood in his way, making Lucius the last person Macrinus needs to remove from his path to the throne. Riding on horseback and with his golden cape billowing behind, Washington has a strong entrance into the scene before he and Lucius begin their duel. Macrinus is a former gladiator, and it is in this duel that his skill as a warrior gets to be put on display.

Characters Who Die In Gladiator 2	Actor Who Plays The Character
Arishat	Yuval Gonen
Jubartha	Peter Mensah
General Marcus Acacius	Pedro Pascal
Emperor Geta	Joseph Quinn
Viggo	Lior Raz
See more : Has Bleach Manga Ended? Was Bleach Manga Canceled? Senator Gracchus	Derek Jacobi
Emperor Caracalla	Fred Hechinger
Lucilla	Connie Nielsen
Macrinus	Denzel Washington

Washington conveys the skill, strength, fury, and arrogance that Macrinus possesses and that he uses to temporarily gain the upper hand against Lucius. When the tide of the duel turns, and Macrinus gets his hand severed and is lethally wounded by Lucius, Washington does not need to have any dialogue to communicate the despair Macrinus feels before he sinks into the water to die. It is a powerful ending for Macrinus, even though it is not quite as satisfying as the ending of the villainous Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in Gladiator.

5

Macrinus Kills Lucilla In Front Of Lucius

Macrinus Follows Through On His Determination To Eliminate Lucilla

Image via Paramount Pictures

When chaos erupts in Gladiator 2‘s Colosseum, Macrinus does not lose his cool, and seizes it as an opportunity. As Lucius races to free his mother, Lucilla, from where she is held in the center of the Colosseum, Macrinus asks for a bow and arrow to be handed to him. He takes aim and fires an arrow into Lucilla’s chest in front of Lucius. When Lucius looks up and sees Macrinus, he gives Lucius a knowing look, making it clear that the blood of Lucilla’s death is on her son’s hands.

Macrinus is not only eliminating a prominent obstacle in his path, but is punishing Lucius for his rebellion.

Washington does not need to be as expressive here as he is in other scenes. That one look is enough to illustrate Macrinus’ cruelty. Macrinus is not only eliminating a prominent obstacle in his path, but is punishing Lucius for his rebellion. There is no question at this point about whether Macrinus is a villain, but this is the defining moment of his villainy. However, the scene is somewhat undercut by the disappointment of Lucilla dying for the sake of Lucius’ arc.

4

Macrinus Convinces Senator Thraex To Tell Him About Lucilla’s Plot

Senator Thraex Crumbles Before Macrinus

Macrinus feels the most dangerous when he simply uses his words and his influence to exert his will. This is apparent in the scene where he confronts Senator Thraex (Tim McInnerny), as he needs Thraex to share what he knows about General Acacius and Lucilla’s plans. Macrinus comes across as particularly sinister with his reminders that he owns Thraex’s house, that the senator is in considerable debt to him, and that he “requests” Thraex be loyal to him.

Washington gives a great performance at this moment, which is made even better by McInnerny’s portrayal of Thraex. The senator crumbles in front of Macrinus and gives him exactly what he wants. Macrinus’ sway over Thraex makes Washington’s character feel particularly powerful, especially when Acacius and Lucilla are caught due to Macrinus sharing the revelation of their betrayal to Emperors Geta and Caracalla. There are three scenes that are ranked higher, though, as they have an even more substantial impact.

3

Macrinus Manipulates Emperor Caracalla Into Turning Against His Brother

Mentioning Emperor Caracalla’s Monkey Is The Key

While Macrinus has many moments of deft manipulation, the most fascinating to watch is when he manipulates Emperor Caracalla to turn against Emperor Geta. Caracalla is already paranoid and at odds with Geta. Macrinus amplifies that paranoia by claiming that Geta will blame Caracalla in front of the Roman Senate. As Caracalla worries about what will happen to him, Macrinus makes these worries even worse by posing the question of what will happen to Caracalla’s pet monkey, Dundus.

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Macrinus knows how much Caracalla cares about the monkey and that this will push him over the edge. To the audience, what Macrinus is doing is blatantly obvious. It is not so obvious to the unbalanced Caracalla and Washington’s performance makes it clear that Macrinus has no qualms about pushing Caracalla to his breaking point. When Caracalla fully turns against Geta, and Macrinus kills him, it feels rewarding because of this moment, although not quite as rewarding as two other moments.

2

Macrinus Reveals His Past To Lucilla

Eliminating Lucilla Is Personal

It is not difficult to piece together the details of Macrinus’ past, but that does not make it any less satisfying when Macrinus spells it out for Lucilla. Earlier in the movie, he tells Lucilla that he served her father. Now, he clarifies that he was a slave owned by Marcus Aurelius and reveals where he was branded by her father’s mark. Macrinus emphasizes how he was a slave to an emperor, but now he is on the precipice of controlling an entire empire.

Lucilla is not just someone standing in Macrinus’ way, but is a reminder of Macrinus’ traumatic past that has shaped his desire to conquer Rome for himself. Washington ensures that the scene feels like a more personal victory for Macrinus compared to when he defeats his other enemies. The time for subtlety has ended and Macrinus is able to fully revel in the absolute power that he believes is nearly in his grasp. This moment is only outranked by a scene where Washington gives Macrinus more stage presence.

1

Macrinus Uses Emperor Geta’s Severed Head While Speaking To The Senate

The Senators Are A Captive Audience

In the aftermath of Emperor Geta’s death, Emperor Caracalla names Dondus his first consul and Macrinus his second consul. Macrinus takes advantage of this newfound power by speaking to the Roman Senate while holding Geta’s severed head. He uses the decaying head as a prop to prove his point, and given that the senators’ choices are Caracalla, a monkey, and Macrinus, they are inclined to listen to Macrinus.

The stage presence Washington brings to this scene and how Macrinus utilizes Geta’s head makes it Macrinus’ best moment in Gladiator 2.

Washington’s portrayal of Macrinus is appropriately exaggerated in this scene as he intimidates and reasons with the senators, all while either holding Geta’s head, or leaving it in the center of the room. The way Washington delivers one of Gladiator 2‘s best quotes, “I must have power,” is especially memorable, as are the ways Thraex and the other senators are unable to take their eyes off of Macrinus. The stage presence Washington brings to this scene and how Macrinus utilizes Geta’s head makes it Macrinus’ best moment in Gladiator 2.

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Gladiator II

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ActionDramaEpicHistoryAdventure

Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

November 22, 2024

Runtime

148 minutes

Cast

Paul Mescal
, Pedro Pascal
, Denzel Washington
, Connie Nielsen
, Joseph Quinn
, Fred Hechinger
, Derek Jacobi
, Lior Raz
, Peter Mensah
, Matt Lucas
, Alexander Karim
, Tim McInnerny
, Lee Charles
, Chidi Ajufo
, Alfie Tempest
, Riana Duce
, Chi Lewis Parry

Director

Ridley Scott

Writers

David Scarpa
, Peter Craig
, David Franzoni

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Source: https://www.phonggdkrongpac.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment

10 Macrinus Tries To Figure Out If Hanno Is Lucius

This Could Threaten Macrinus’ Schemes

9 Macrinus Plays Nice While Meeting With Lucilla

He Reveals A Past Connection To Lucilla And Her Father

8 Macrinus Promises Lucius The Head Of General Acacius