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‘Gladiator 2’ Sends Ridley Scott, Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal into the Oscar Race; First Reactions Call Sequel ‘Epic’ and ‘Absolute Sicko Sh-t’

Denzel Washington gives one of his most charismatic and sinister performances, setting him up for a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.

Of Scott’s three previous directing Oscar bids — which also include “Thelma & Louise” (1991) and “Black Hawk Down” (2001) — “Gladiator” was his closest shot at victory, losing to the double-nominated Steven Soderbergh for “Traffic” (his other nomination was for “Erin Brockovich”). While Scott’s critical reception has been inconsistent in recent years (i.e., “Robin Hood” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings”), “Gladiator II” might be his best effort since “Black Hawk Down.” Even if the sequel primarily excels in technical categories, history has shown that visually stunning films, like Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” or Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity,” can still propel directors to the Dolby Theatre stage. Villain roles have traditionally performed well in the supporting actor category, with past winners such as Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men”), Christoph Waltz (“Inglourious Basterds”) and Heath Ledger (“The Dark Knight”).

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