Gladiator 2: some quick thoughts. SPOILER ALERT.
On Violence Am I just as sensuously bloodthirsty as the Romans if I enjoy the scenes of gladiator combat (the naval battle was cool I admit)? I caught myself thinking how brutal those Romans were as I gawked at sharks plucking off fallen soldiers. In general, I'm not a fan of violence. Gladiator 2 had a few doozies but was fortunately not soaked in blood. On Rage and Paths Taken Denzel and Lucius start off the same, cynical and hellbent on Rome's destruction—each rage embodied. We even eventually learn that they both share the empire's brandings—the scars of power. In the end, Denzel becomes the lone destructive force and chaos agent while Lucius becomes a reformer who wishes to restore the Republic. This offers us as viewers the opportunity to consider which path we might be on. Gladiator 2 = Philosophy 101 The basic (very timely) question the film explores is whether justice is anything more than the rule of the stronger? Denzel seeks the law of power alone. Denzel is Thrasymachus is Trump. Anyone? On Fatherhood and Fascism And finally, Gladiator 2 got me thinking about loyalty and fatherhood. Men, even grown men, need fathers? Recently, some sports figures and others have begun doing the "Trump Dance" (jerking off two guys at once as Bill Maher mocks). It has been well documented that Trump went out of his way to court young men and men in general, cladding himself in the undeserved aura of masculineness, most evident in Hulk Hogan's multiple appearances at GOP and Trump events, Trump's attendance at UFC events and close relationship with its CEO (combat sport as a means of controlling the masses, channeling their Dionysian energies through spectacle, is a key them in both Gladiators [I highly recommend the new mini-series Mr. McMahon on Netflix, which I think, advertently or inadvertently makes an interesting connection between Trumpian fascism and the WWE (Vince McMahon's wife, Linda, has been tagged to head the education department)]). In UFC and WWE (particularly the latter), politics is reduced to the narrow terms of sheer force, violence, and dominance and submission. In Gladiator 2, Lucius wins the loyalty of the people and the army. He chooses to use that to restore the Republic. The question I leave you with is, is fascism ultimately adherence to a surrogate State father? On Monkeys and Men Monkeys and baboons make a few key appearances. Once as the consort of a syphilitic, tyrant emperor and in an early scene as a mad troop of baboons warring with gladiators in a frontier arena. Lucius bites the baboon and takes the posture and manners of one. He is later mocked by his fellow gladiators with monkey hoots. The connection is clear: the law of power, force, and violence is the law of the jungle—the way of the chimp. Trump's law. Our lead baboon. (I highly recommend Carl Safina's book Becoming Wild where he describes the cultural dynamics of chimps and bonobos). Gladiator 2 self-consciously sought to speak to our moment. I wonder however how it lands for the diverse American and global audiences that see it. In short, it’s a fine film that is well worth seeing, though not as good as the first (they never are). And sorry to talk about Trump.
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Chris Dunn, PhD
Researcher, writer, explorer*, photographer, thinker. Wrestling with nature, culture, technology. Archives
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*When I use the term "exploration", I mean it in a personal sense (discovery for myself, or at a unique moment in time [everywhere after all--even crowded cities--endlessly await rediscovery--by new eyes and in new moments]), not in an absolute sense. With few exceptions (notably Antarctica), almost everywhere on earth has had other people around for a long time (though to varying degrees - high mountain tops or places like the interior of the Greenland Ice Sheet for instance were far less visited and populated, and undoubtedly at least some pockets of the earth were never visited or populated). It is an enlightening experience though when on an isolated ridge in what feels like the middle of nowhere to wonder if anyone has set foot there but never knowing for sure. What is significant is that the landscape itself is left in such a condition that it isn't evident. Some places ought to be kept that way.
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