There has been a path paved for him to the world of the sword-and-sandal epic with Gladiator II. Of course, considering Gladiator was a blockbuster that remained in cinemas for over a year before earning the honor of Best Picture, we certainly didn’t think it’d take this long to get made.

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.

Gladiator II” is more a swaggering, sword-and-sandal epic that prizes the need to entertain above all else. Denzel Washington delivers.