Gladiator 2 Stars Exposed Ridley Scott’s Bizarre Working Style Before Cinematographer Called Him “lazy” and “impatient”
- 'Gladiator 2' cinematographer criticized Ridley Scott's rapid filmmaking methods.
- Cast members, including Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen, and Pedro Pascal, praised Scott's swiftness and efficiency.
- 'Gladiator 2' received mixed reception as critics commented on overused CGI and narrative weaknesses.
The cinematic world of historical epics recently saw Ridley Scott bring the sequel to his 2000 hit Gladiator. Gladiator 2 takes the audience back to the harsh and complex world of ancient Rome through the story of Lucius, played by Paul Mescal.
The movie is considered the brainchild of Scott, as the director has built his reputation for storytelling and visual grandeur. However, some new revelations regarding the methodology of his filmmaking process have raised some eyebrows.
Gladiator 2‘s Cast and Crew Speak on Ridley Scott’s Rapid Filmmaking
Gladiator 2 is not simply a typical historical drama. It also represents how Ridley Scott approaches the filmmaking process. For the director, who is now almost 87 years old, the speed and efficiency of his work caused both admiration and concern among his team members.
The cinematographer of Gladiator 2, John Mathieson, who has collaborated with Scott in six other films, described Scott’s movie-making process critically. In his recent appearance on The DocFix Documentary Storytelling Podcast, he said,
It’s really lazy. It’s the CG elements now of tidying-up, leaving things in shot, cameras in shot, microphones in shot, bits of set hanging down, shadows from booms. And they just said [on Gladiator II], ‘Well, clean it up.’
Criticizing Scott’s current method of using multiple cameras, Mathieson further said that it compromises cinematographic quality.
He is quite impatient so he likes to get as much as he can at once. It’s not very good for cinematography.
“Having lots of cameras, I don’t think has made the films any better…It’s a bit rush, rush, rush. That’s changed in him,” he further added. However, Paul Mescal said he was surprised at how fast Scott moved in the production of the film. During an interview with Jake’s Takes, Mescal said,
The thing that blew my mind was watching how he shot the opening sequence in Morocco. We were scheduled to be in Morocco for about 4 weeks. We got out of there in 9 days. That’s insane.
Other cast members also appeared to be impressed by Scott’s swiftness. Connie Nielsen admitted in an interview with Collider,
The only thing that has changed is that technology has allowed him to move so fast now that it’s almost like, ‘well someone give this guy a pill’, because he is moving so fast and he knows what he wants.
Pedro Pascal, in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, also shared similar opinions where he said Scott “famously, thank God, doesn’t do multiple takes” and “will set up so many cameras and he’ll shoot something start to finish.”
Even though some might feel the movie needed some more time in the making, Scott himself remains unapologetic about his new approach, as he told CBS News, “When I enter on the set, I’ve already pre-planned everything. It’s very efficient because we did ‘Gladiator’ in 51 days.” Gladiator 2 began filming in June 2023 and finished in January 2024 with a break due to the Hollywood strikes.
Gladiator 2‘s Mixed Critical Response
The critical reception of Gladiator 2 has been mixed. At the moment, the film has a critic rating of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. This was already a difficult task given the high expectations from the original blockbuster.
Moreover, there have been some criticisms about overused CGI, and Forbes even compared the visuals to video game boss battles more than the historical epic. The spectacle was seemingly prioritized over narrative in scenes with CGI baboons, rhino-riding gladiators, and shark-filled arenas.
However, the critics have also praised the performances of veteran actors and certain action sequences. Talking about Ridley Scott’s directing process, fans have defended his approach online, mostly citing his age factor.
I mean he’s 90 years old. He doesn’t want to die on set
— Supersam (@supersamh0) November 28, 2024
Given Scott’s advanced age, it is understandable that he prioritizes quantity over quality. Despite this focus, he’s consistently produced high-quality, enjoyable films.
— SpaceMonkey (@SpaceMonkey0009) November 28, 2024
Scott is 86. I would be a little impatient too.
— Blue Robin (@BlueRobin101) November 28, 2024
The guy can count the years he has left to live in his fingers, of course he wants to rush to get things done he's got movies to make
— George Saoulidis ⚡ (@saoulidisg) November 28, 2024
As much as there are critics about Gladiator 2, the movie is undoubtedly an ambitious project. It is moving slowly at the box office with a worldwide collection of over $232 million (via Box Office Mojo) as of now. Whether it justifies the expectations set by the original film is a matter of individual interpretation.
Gladiator 2 is running in theaters.
