A cinematic feast to rival next week's culinary offerings, Gladiator II strengthens Ridley Scott’s hold as king of Thanksgiving-released movies and damn near usurps his series’ masterpiece predecessor.

A year after his weird and wonderful Napoleon (the less said about House of Gucci two Novembers before that, the better), the legendary director returns to one of his greatest hits with a ferocious filmmaking energy and eye for entertainment that makes it feel like he never truly left ancient Rome.

However, departing the city is precisely what young Lucius Aurelius was forced to do in the wake of his evil uncle Commodus’ death at the end of our last adventure. Set 16 years later, the script by David Scarpa (Napoleon) seamlessly catches up with the secret prince, now going by Hanno (Paul Mescal, All of Us Strangers) and living in Numidia — the last African enclave not yet under Roman control — and married to fellow warrior Arichat (Yuval Gonen).

Despite some admirable resistance, filmed in Scott's textbook epic style, when the city’s defense of a Roman naval siege doesn't go as well as planned, Lucius finds himself transported back to his former home as a slave. In the process, he swears revenge on General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) who, unbeknownst to the prisoner of war, is married to Lucius’ mother Lucilla (the gorgeous Connie Nielsen, who’s apparently been preserved in amber since 2000), setting up some delicious drama once these characters inevitably intersect.

Naturally, that path involves Lucius’ gladiatorial battles, filmed with nearly the same gusto and imagination as those in Gladiator, and which only plays as lesser due to that previous film’s then-freshness and the high bar it set for such action sequences. Nevertheless, certain CGI animals don't help the sequel's cause, but the confidence with which Scott and his collaborators navigate these wild threats largely compensates for the wonky special effects.

Steering the journey are the competing political forces of Lucius’ owner Macrinus (Denzel Washington), corrupt twin Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn, Stranger Things) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger, Thelma), and the last vestiges of Marcus Aurelius loyalists, including a blessedly still standing Derek Jacobi, reprising his role as Senator Gracchus. With the exception of Macrinus, each party’s intentions are clearly presented, though some of the obligatory double crosses play out clumsily in the moment, only to make sense later on.

Fortunately, this sloppiness coincides with Washington shedding his temporary snake skin and going full viper. Whether in public or private gatherings or showing off his fighting skills, it's a joy to watch this master of the craft run wild, especially after such recent duds as the three (?!?) Equalizer movies frustratingly capped his potential in the name of effortless paychecks.

But strong as Washington is, Gladiator II is firmly Mescal’s movie. Rightfully acclaimed in the indie dramas Aftersun and particularly Strangers, one of 2023’s best films, the star makes the most of his blockbuster debut, imbuing his action hero with depth and humanity, much like Russell Crowe’s Maximus did multiple decades ago.

Grade: A-minus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, and Regal Biltmore Grande.

(Photo: Paramount Pictures)