After hosting the New Zealand premieres of Gladiator II this week, we asked the good people who came along what they thought of the Ancient Rome epic.
In cinemas from today, Ridley Scott returns to the multi-Oscar-winning world of Gladiator with Gladiator II. Paul Mescal steps into the sandals—and the Colosseum—vacated by Russell Crowe. Captured in battle, Lucius (Mescal) is brought to Rome to fight for the peoples’ entertainment, and is swept up into the violent politics of the empire. Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal star alongside Mescal, as does Connie Nielsen, one of the few to return from the 2000 original (because most of the main characters died, obviously!).
We had a great night hosting Flicks members (become one if you’re not already, it’s free and good). Big shout-out to Paramount Pictures for making the event possible—as well as Corner Burger for the delicious food provided, and Asahi Group for the responsibly-enjoyed refreshments by Brookvale Union, 19 Crimes, Long White, BRB and Pure Blonde.
Afterwards, we reached out to our members in the audience to capture their thoughts on the film…
The NZ premiere of Gladiator II was an incredible event—fantastic atmosphere, and the film was epic. – Laumata
Really enjoyed, one of the best new movies i’ve seen in a while, thanks Flicks!! – Jay
Paul Mescal’s fans got satisfied. Gladiator II — Strength and honour until the very end. Thanks for entertaining us. – Boba M. Baluchova
Gladiator II is an awesome movie made all the more impressive by a fantastic venue with great refreshments – thanks so much Flicks! – Rik
Great movie, fantastic lead actors, plot was predictable but kept you captivated until the end. – Paula
This kind of movie isn’t what I’d normally watch. However, I loved every minute! Thanks Flicks – Anitia
Thank you – really enjoyed the movie, Ridley Scott is a master class at providing a glimpse into what life was like in ancient rome. – Dale
Thanks so much for the fantastic evening Flicks hosted. The pre-drinks, nibbles, and complimentary snacks and hats were very much appreciated. I really enjoyed the film, and Paul Mescal was brilliant in his role. 4 out of 5 stars from me. A big thank you to the team at Flicks and the Event Cinema Newmarket team who made this evening happen. – Celeste
Epic, sometimes silly, everything you want from a Ridley Scott movie. – Stephen
Very good movie ..Will be telling all my friends. Thanks for the great evening. – Helen
Epic! Cast of thousands! Excellent star cast and performances. Thank you Flicks team!! – Margaret
Flicks screenings are always a delight with the best cinemas, comfy seating, and a keen audience. No better way to enjoy the latest film! – Rosie
Gladiator II was a fabulous action movie with some camp thrown in. We loved it and had a great time at the cinema. – Ebba
A wonderful evening for a glorious film. Film was an 8/10; spilled guts and g(l)ory.
I really enjoyed this experience. Customer service was exceptional. 10/10. Thank you! All Hail Dondas!! – Lusia
Great movie with some nice action set pieces. Not much character development apart from Denzel’s character and I also lost it when I saw the coliseum filled with water. Gladiator took the ‘Fast and Furious’ route so strap in, have fun, but try not to think too hard about it :) – Ben
Thoroughly enjoyed the movie, certainly not a carbon copy of the first. Characters didn’t quite resonate as much as the original, but certainly did justice to the franchise. 4/5. – Thomas
Thank you so much for tickets to the premiere! Awesome event & great service. The film was brilliant, epic & fun – especially the sharks. Thanks again for a wonderful evening! – Karen
Historians get wrecked, loved the sharks!!! – Sachi
And here’s some stellar images of the preview screening event (photo credit to Ivan Muller)
