David Scarpa, Peter Craig, David Franzoni Starring: Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger Rating: R for strong bloody violence Runtime: 148 minutes There has been a path paved for him to the world of the sword-and-sandal epic with Gladiator II.

Following two imposing historical epics (The Last Duel, Napoleon), the prolific 86-year-old auteur delves even further back in time for a sequel to his 2000 Best Picture winner. He comes up with a massive,

There's nothing wrong with a grunting, violent, ancient Roman holiday, especially when it boasts a supporting performance as delicious as Denzel Washington’s Machiavellian Macrinus.