Gladiator II: A couple years back when I had heard rumours of a sequel being made by Ridley Scott for Gladiator, I had thought to myself, how can their be a sequel, Maximum (the Russell Crowe Gladiator) had been killed. It was a fitting ending to a good story, well told. I quibbled a bit with the CGI, especially of Rome and the Coliseum as it looked more from a video game than a Hollywood movie, but the film’s performances overshadowed some of the challenges. I was tempering my enthusiasm, as best as I try to do with highly anticipated movies like this one because in the back of my mind is that I don’t want to build it up in my head such that it cannot meet the expectations. I entered the theatre hoping for the best, thinking “I hope this doesn’t suck”.

Well sadly, this was not was I was hoping for at all. Did it suck? I wouldn’t go that far, but I would say that it is a story not worthy of the original, nor Ridley Scott. First of all, however much Russell Crowe is not “in” this movie, his image and finger prints are all over it. I hope that Crowe gets paid for his 2000 image being used so often. The only two original actors in this version is Derek Jacobi (as a senator) and Connie Nielson (who played Lucilla, the daughter of slain Emperor Marcus Aurilius).

My limited pre-screening knowledge was that this was a story about Lucius, the young son of Lucilla who had met Maximus when he was in Rome as a slave gladiator. Maximus’ last words were confirming that “Lucius is safe”. I honestly wished that I hadn’t heard even this little bit of information. It spoiled the earlier part of the movie. There are some heavy hitting acting talents on screen like Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal (who is virtually everywhere) and Paul Mescal as Lucius. For me as someone who really likes the original Best Picture as well four other Oscars. But it misses. The plot comes across for me as contrived. I had always thought, “how does Lucius get all these mad fighting skills as a prince raised in the palace”? But it goes beyond that. In Rome, as opposed to the “vision of Rome” and it becoming a Republic once again with the people running it as opposed to an Emperor, it now has twin Emperors running the country. And these twins are as outlandish and cartoonish as you can imagine. Incidentally, there have never been twin brothers on the throne as Emperor. It just doesn’t make sense, and it wasn’t necessary. It makes the current General’s issue (played by Pascal) with the leadership plain. Then it goes further with a re-enactment in the Coliseum of a naval battle. It has full ships, including oars for the boats, along with many sharks swimming in the waters. I was told that naval battles were shown, however not with sharks nor water deep enough for oars. The final straw for me is the whole issue about details about Lucius which just make sense either for me. So while this movie never approached the original, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t really reveal any reason for being. It didn’t move the overall story much. So I cannot recommend this, and see it as a lost opportunity.

Say Nothing: I had heard about this series on Disney +, as it dealt with The Troubles in Ireland during that 1970s and beyond, and a number of the prominent figures in the Irish Republican Army. It is based upon the book by Patrick Radden Keefe unread by me. This nine-part series tells the true story about the Belfast Project at Boston College, where it had been arranged to have volunteers from the IRA tell their stories on the condition that these stories wouldn’t be disclosed until the person was dead. The aim was to have the whole truth come out for later generations of Northern Irish to explain the actions of Gerry Adams. You see, Adams denies ever being a part of the IRA, let alone being one the leaders in Belfast. There was leadership, like Adams, and there would foot soldiers like Brendan Hughes, Dolours and Marian Price. Adams had become one of the negotiators for a ceasefire in the 1980s with the British, as there was a truce which didn’t mean that the British occupying force was leaving the Emerald Island for good.

This series has a number of different storylines, focusing on the two sisters and their story and involvement with the IRA movement. The story evolves from a re-telling of events according to Dolours, the redhead picture above. I won’t share any more of the details because it is a fascinating story of very difficult and complex times. The issues have evolved over the centuries. I have been to Belfast a couple of times, including taking a black cab tour explaining some of the history within Belfast. It was very eye opening, and scary that in my lifetime, these events can have unfolded with bombings in London, hunger strikes, police brutality within a walled city. But now, progress can be seen as I can take a bus to Belfast and tour the Titanic Museum and have no fear about any difficulties. I am hopeful that the peace which is very controversial, especially among staunch Republic supporters (justifably was a sell-out allowing further British occupation) but on the other hand you have to start somewhere. I don’t have all the answers. Not even close. I don’t think that Gerry Adams has all the answers either, and he is a human without character to throw his supporters and one-time friends under the bus to seek glory for himself, but has he served the greater good of the people of Northern Ireland? Time will tell the answer on that. If you want more insight into the truth of what happened, this is a series for you to view. I highly recommend this. A couple of questions though on this: with the further tale of murder and mayhem within the IRA, who benefits most from this? If the aim remains to get the British out of Ireland, how can this be done in a peaceful way? One would think that if Germany can be reunified, and the Berlin wall can fall, that Ireland should be capable of being one island once again, and entitled to self-rule.