Ridley Scott's sword-clanging, physically overwhelming Roman Empire sequel Gladiator II has been designed with the IMAX experience in mind.
The IMAX is practically the modern-day version of the Colosseum so we enlisted the UK's leading film critic, Mark Kermode, and filmmaker Jack Howard to explain why the movie's breathtaking visuals will attain a radiant new level of resolution when projected in IMAX. The huge screens combined with razor-sharp digital resolution promise to amplify every physical detail from the arena sand coursing from a character's hands to the sheer spectacle of the Colosseum flooded with water.
Then there's the digitally enhanced sound, which resonates strong and true from the impact of swords clashing to the emotional overtures of Harry Gregson Williams' score. In other words, it promises everything that we've come to expect from the veteran world-builder Scott whose reputation ranges across multiple genres from sci-fi (1979's Alien; 1982's Blade Runner) to historical epic (2005's Kingdom of Heaven).
Watch the video below to find out more.
The long-awaited follow-up to Scott's Oscar-winning Gladiator (2000) continues the journey of Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who is now grown up and played by Aftersun sensation Paul Mescal.
Believing himself to be free from the clutches of the Romans, Lucius is then kidnapped by General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) and sold to slaveowner Macrinus (Denzel Washington, whose performance is already inviting talk of Oscars). Shipped back to Rome, Lucius must contend with his gladiatorial survival in the ring as he finds himself a puppet in the power play between Acacius, Macrinus and the despotic sibling emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger).
Can Lucius live up to the noble legacy of his father, the late general-turned-slave Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe)? The journey toward redemption is tainted with bloodshed, betrayal and sheer bit-between-the-teeth survival, all rendered on the biggest cinematic canvas imaginable.
Gladiator II is released at Cineworld on November 15th. Remember, what we see in IMAX echoes in eternity.
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