Displaying items by tag: Joseph Quinn

GLADIATOR II

US, 2024, 148 minutes, Colour.

Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Neilson, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas, Tim McInerny.

Directed by Ridley Scott.

While sequels are often welcomed by an audience, they also often find it difficult to maintain the standard of the original film. Which is the case here. Gladiator won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2000 as well as an Oscar for Russell Crowe in his role as the strong Roman warrior, Maximus. She is one was a triumph for prolific director, Ridley Scott.

It was something of a surprise when plans were made over 20 years later for this sequel. The focus is on the son of Maximus who died in the first film, his son with Lucilla, the daughter of Marcus Aurelius. He is Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, seen first quietly living in North Africa, the Romans attacking under the leadership of General Acacius, Pedro Pascal, the North Africans defeated, taken to Rome, sold as slaves, many commandeered as gladiators.

Audiences will see the parallel scenario with the original film, the provinces, Roman warfare, prisoners, slavery, the Colosseum, gladiators, harsh life, brutality in the arena, political intrigue.

As with the original film, Gladiator II looks quite spectacular, special effects, naval battle sequences, extraordinary fights in the Colosseum especially against monstrous effect monster monkeys, and the recreation of a battle sequence in the Colosseum. Many of these scenes are very violent, and some of them exceedingly brutal in the impact. Sometimes we might wonder, as we watch the brutality of the fights and audience excitement that we are very much like these vicious Romans and their control of human life with thumbs down.

As with the Emperor, Commodus in the original film, there are two rather despicable emperors this time, the twins Geta and Caracalla (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) as symbols of the decline of the Roman Empire. Returning from the original film is Connie Neilson as Lucilla, daughter of Marcus Aurelius, mother of Lucius, recognising him, trying to make contact, eventually sacrificing herself for him. She is also in a relationship with General Acacius. One of the difficulties for the impact of the drama is that while Paul Mescal is exceedingly serious and single-minded as Lucius, he is not charismatically engaging for the audience a little in here and charm, while Pedro Pascal as Acacius does have leadership charism.

But, the big difference for this drama is the presence of Denzel Washington as the former slave with political and power ambitions, based on an actual character, Macrinus, a master in buying slaves, controlling the gladiators, with entree to the Emperor’s, deals with corrupt senators, waiting for his power grab moments, unscrupulous with his violence, even with the Emperors.

Given the limitations, the repetitions in parallels with the original, and the single-minded sternness of Paul Mescal as Lucius, audiences who enjoy Roman epics, will enjoy Gladiator II as well.

1. The impact of the original film? Its legacy? So many years for a sequel? The continuity? The scenario of the first parallel scenario of the sequel?
2. The work of Ridley Scott, epics? And audience response?
3. The settings, North Africa, the city, the battles, the Navy, the Roman conquest? The road to Rome? The entry? The Colosseum, the quarters for the gladiators? The animals? The use of the Colosseum, fights, naval battles? The royal palace? Homes? The market for gladiators? The musical score?
4. The links with the original, the mentions of Maximus, the flashbacks and the appearance of Russell Crowe? Connie Neilson as Lucilla, her relationship with Maximus, with, discovering with Lucius? Derek Jacoby as the senator?
5. Africa, Lucius and his life there, relationship with his wife, warrior, silent about his identity, the local authorities, the attack of the Romans, the details of the battles, strategies, defeat? Imprisonment? The death of his wife, seeing her pass into the next life, grief?
6. The prisoners going to Rome, the entrance to the city, the legions and the triumphant entry, general Acacius, his relationship to Lucilla, his tribute to the Senate, their suspicions, their wanting him to go on further conquests? His own response, with Lucilla, his significance in the revolt against Rome, his legions at Ostia, the sending of the message, his being trapped, sparing Lucius, his own death? Lucilla’s grief?
7. The role of Macrinus, dented Washington’s presence, slave, freed, ambitions for the Senate, ruling Rome? The auctions of slaves, seeing Lucy is in action, his talents, strength, perseverance, purchase? His master of slaves and the treatment of the slaves? The training, the accommodation in the below the Colosseum? The fight in the Colosseum, the monstrous monkeys and battles, UCS and his survival? The response of the crowds, the emperors, thumbs up?
8. The personality of Lucy is, silent about his identity, his anonymity in Africa, his relationship, the defeat, the death of his wife? With the other slaves? With the master of slaves, his being tested? With Macrinus? With Lucilla, her visit, his identity, his resistance? His eventually changing, the encounter with Acacius, the fight in the arena, spared, acacias death?
9. The background of the emperors, their status, twins, effete life, games, the court, the worms? The attitude of the Senators? Acacius? Macrinus and his setting them up, the death of Geta?
10. Arrow colour, wilfulness, childish, nominating his monkey as senator?
11. Lucius, behind-the-scenes, the ex gladiator, observing, supportive Lucius, his sending him to Ostia to bring the troops?
12. The buildup, the taking of Lucilla, in the arena, her death, the many troops converging on Lucius?
13. The troops arrival, Macrinus and his control, his deals with the senators, the corrupt senator, the gambling, the meeting of the senators, Gracchus and the past, and government, decline? The death of Gracchus?
14. The troops arriving, Lucius and his a leadership, the confrontation with Macrinus? And the future?

A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE

US, 2024, 100 minutes, Colour.

Lupita Nyong'o, Joseph Quinn, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou.

Directed by Michael Sarnoski.

There is a dire meaning in the title, A Quiet Place. Monstrous creatures had invaded earth, lacking the power of site but hypersensitive to sound. The original film and its sequel had menaced humans desperate to be silent, avoiding any kind of sound to alert the roaming predators.

Which means that audiences for this contribution to the franchise, a prequel, go into the film knowing what the key issue is. Silence.

The film starts routinely enough, a hyperactive poet, Samira (Lupita Nyong’o), ill, in care, going to group meetings and being defiant, invited to go in to New York City to see a marionette show (a quite vivid interlude, in fact). She bargains with her nurse that they have to have a pizza in Harlem. This doesn’t quite happen.

When the creatures come, they wreak enormous devastation on the city, sometimes graphically filmed. The populace, taken unawares, easily become victims, and the mayhem in the city, crashed and crushed vehicles, buildings and ruins, are caught in an atmosphere of terror.

The filmmakers have decided to focus on the central character, her survival, her trying to get to her apartment, avoiding all sounds. Suddenly, emerging from the water is a well-dressed, suit and tie, Englishman, Eric (Joseph Quinn). He is more than shell-shocked, begins to follow for security, her urging him to get to a wharf because it emerges that the creatures cannot endure water. We do see barges on the New York Rivers full of refugees.

This part of the film has its moments of excitement, Eric venturing out to a pharmacy to get medication for the poet, increased menaces from the creatures – which, is probably why most of the audiences have paid for their tickets to see it.

The ending is not quite what we might have expected, moments of pathos and sadness, moments of rescue, moments of hope for survival despite everything.

If this film is popular, will there be Day Two?

1. The popularity of the first two films? prequel and explanations, origins, the audience presupposing details, especially about creatures, about silence in danger, from the original films?
2. The New York settings, the opening in the care home, the trip into the city, the marionette theatre, the audience, going to get pizza, and the attack? The vistas of the city, the destruction of the city, streets, cars, buildings? The musical score?
3. The visuals of the creatures, audiences appreciating them from the previous films? Monstrous, the detail, the attacks, stalking people? Noise and sounds and the attacks?
4. Sam as the focus, her physical health, in care, with Reuben, the groups, that she was a writer, her aggressive poem, persuaded to go into the city, wanting pizza in Harlem? Reuben, nurse, friendship, with Sam?
5. The marionette theatre, the skill of the puppeteer, the puppets, the balloon, flying? Audience response?
6. The sudden attack, the destruction, the creatures? The silence? Sam and Reuben, his death?
7. The importance of the cat, always with Sam, the trip, the theatre, throughout all the dangers, away, coming back? Companionship? A kind of guardian angel figure? Audience response to the cat – and more than nine lives?
8. Sam, the experience, bewilderment, determination, seeing so many people taken, in the streets, the helicopters flying overhead, the message for evacuation, to take to the water? Her wanting to go to her apartment?
9. Eric, emerging from the water, suit and tie, surviving, stunned, the encounters with Sam, silence, communication, her writing notes, his following her, the dangers, going to Harlem, her apartment, her book, sleep? Her urging him to go away? His personality, quiet, rising to occasions? Seeing the people on the boats in the middle of the river, being saved?
10. The refuge in the Church, peace, sanctuary and reflection?
11. The continued trek, Eric and his going to the pharmacy, getting the medical patches for Sam? Dangers, his being threatened, the cat?
12. Sam and her weakness, the daylight, going towards the boat, seeing the kindly man from the marionette theatre on the boat?
13. Sam, urging Eric to go, with the cat, her staying behind in weakening, Eric and the water, evading the creatures, onto the boat, reading Sam’s letter and the voice-over?