Early reactions to Gladiator II say Ridley Scott's sequel is “unhinged.”

Aren't you entertained? Because almost everyone who saw it Gladiator II is praising Ridley Scott's highly anticipated sequel on social media.

Although at least one viewer argued that the sequel is “largely uneven and lacks the emotional punch of the first film,” many of the early reactions to the film rave about the “epic Roman opera” and rave about the Oscar attention for Scott and lead actors Denzel Washington after a special screening on Friday at the Paramount lot.

The film's editor-in-chief, Andrew J. Salazar, was perhaps one of the most critical, but even he had good things to say about Scott's direction.

“GLADIATOR II Works best as an acting showcase for Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn. “It's mostly uneven and lacks the emotional punch of the first film,” Salazar wrote on

Jillian Chilingerian, co-founder and editor of Offscreen Central, called the film “an absolute triumph,” adding in the post: “Ridley Scott puts you in the action of the arena where legacy and honor are at stake, the blood, the battles and gore add bicep to something so deliciously cinematic and Machiavellian. Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn certified movie stars.”

In another post, Chileneriean wrote: “GLADIATOR 2 Is hamlet as a Roman political opera, a brutal, bloody battle between power and corruption with performances with the emotional impact of a movie star. I can’t believe Ridley pulled this off and it’s one of the few modern blockbusters that actually looks GOOD visually.”

FilmSpeak host Griffin Schiller wrote: “Ridley Scott returns to the Colosseum to prove to the world that it's HIM.” STILL. RECEIVE. IT. Absolutely BUZZ after #GladiatorII! An EPIC Shakespearean tale of hope, futility and power in a crumbling system. Denzel celebrates with a breathtaking, Machiavellian performance. What a picture!”

Gladiator IIThe film, which premieres internationally on November 15th and in the US and Canada on November 22nd, stars Mescal as Lucius, who previously witnessed Maximus (originally portrayed by Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle in the first film Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) died. As an adult, Lucius is forced to enter the Colosseum and fight to restore glory to the people of Rome.

Read more reactions to the film below.