Some 25 years in the making, Ridley ScottsGladiator II finally arrives in theaters later this month. (For context: When the first film debuted in theaters in the summer of 2000 Chappell Roan was ... two years old.)The film is still about a week and a half from release, but the first reviews are in: Thecritics whove seen the film so fararemixed. Most say the film is entertaining, if a bit familiar. (A fair number compare it to a remake, even though it is technically a sequel, featuring Paul Mescal as the adult version of a character from the original film.) The person drawing the most praise so far is Denzel Washington, whos getting very solid notices for his performance as a former slave with grand designs for Mescals character.The reviews also praiseScotts action and spectacle across the board, although some do say the whole affair feels a bit too close to the original movie in terms of structure. One critic said watching the movie is akin todj vu.Gladiator IIParamount Picturesloading...READ MORE: The Best Movies of the Year So FarHeres a sampling of theGladiator IIreviews so far.Caryn James, BBC.com:By far the best popcorn film of the year.Siddhant Adlakha, Inverse:It's a darker, more vicious film for a darker, more vicious time, a relevancy that has only grown in recent days.Tim Grierson, Screen International:UltimatelyGladiator IIis diminished by a nagging recognition that this material felt fresher in the first film.Owen Gleiberman, Variety:David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter:Theres a dj vu quality to much of the new film, a slavishness that goes beyond the caged men forced to fight for their survival, and seeps into the very bones of a drama overly beholden to the original.Gladiator IIParamountloading...Ross Bonaime, Collider:A grand epic that cant escape Maximus shadow.Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly:What elevatesGladiator IIin the cinematic arena is the ways its themes and dialogue underpin its outrageous spectacle.Brian Truitt, USA Today:Yes, we are entertained again by outrageous sequel.Chris Evangelista, /Film:Scott and Scarpa should've jettisoned the first two acts of the film and made the final act the main focus.Liz Shannon Miller, Consequence:We are less entertained.Gladiator IIopens in theaters on November 22.Get our free mobile appFamous Movies Featuring Once-Beloved Products That No Longer ExistThese movies now work as time capsules, capturing a time when these now-defunct products existed.Filed Under: Denzel Washington, Gladiator, Gladiator 2, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Ridley ScottCategories: Movie News